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Stiff Self-Healing Coating Based on UV-Curable Polyurethane with a "Hard Core, Flexible Arm" Structure
Jingcheng Liu1, Jiancheng Cao1, Zhen Zhou1
1The Key Laboratory of Synthestic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
ACS Omega
|August 29, 2019
Summary
New ultraviolet (UV)-cured self-healing polyurethane (PU) coatings exhibit remarkable repair efficiency and mechanical strength. These advanced materials leverage hydrogen bonds for self-healing, showing promise for durable applications.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Surface Coatings
Background:
- Development of advanced polymer materials with self-healing capabilities is crucial for extending product lifespan and reducing waste.
- Polyurethanes (PUs) offer versatile properties but often require enhancement for robust self-healing and mechanical performance.
- UV-curing technology provides rapid and efficient methods for polymer network formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel ultraviolet (UV)-cured self-healing polyurethane (PU) oligomers incorporating cyclotriphosphazene hard cores.
- To investigate the impact of polycarbonate diol (PCDL) molecular weight on the properties of the resulting PU coatings.
- To evaluate the self-healing efficiency, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the developed UV-cured PU coatings.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of PU oligomers via a prepolymer process using isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) or 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), PCDL, and cyclotriphosphazene.
- Characterization of oligomer structures using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
- Formulation and preparation of UV-cured PU coatings, followed by assessment of self-healing, mechanical (hardness, tensile strength), and thermal properties.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized PU oligomers with rigid aromatic cores and flexible fatty arms, confirmed by spectroscopic analysis.
- UV-cured coatings demonstrated effective self-healing properties attributed to hydrogen bonding.
- Reduced PCDL molecular weight led to enhanced coating hardness, tensile strength, and glass transition temperature, alongside excellent thermostability.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized UV-cured self-healing PU oligomers are suitable for creating advanced coatings with intrinsic repair capabilities.
- Tailoring PCDL molecular weight provides a method to optimize mechanical properties and thermal stability for specific applications.
- These self-healing PU coatings exhibit significant application potential due to their high repair efficiency and superior mechanical performance.