Hydrogen bonding and mechanical properties of thin films of polyether-based polyurethane-silica nanocomposites

Two series of thin films of polyether-based polyurethane-silica nanocomposites having hard segment content of 51% and 34% and different concentrations of SiO₂ nanoparticles (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 vol.%) have been prepared. Infrared linear dichroic (LDIR) ratio, mechanical and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were performed in order to determine the influence of hydrogen bonding on their mechanical and thermal properties. The degree of phase separation (DPS) and orientational functions in dependence on strain were calculated from the polarized IR spectra. The presence of silica nanoparticles gives rise to significant differences in the mechanical (stress-strain) properties of the nanocomposites with regard to the pure polymer. The nanocomposite thin films with lower hard segment content (HSC) displayed decreased stiffness and tensile and increased elongation at break in comparison to the nanocomposites with higher HSC. There was no distinctive influence of nanoparticles on the glass transition temperatures of soft segments. Nanosilica significantly affected the melting behavior of the hard phase only in samples with higher HSC.     

Fluorinated siloxane-containing waterborne polyurethaneureas with excellent hemocompatibility, waterproof and mechanical properties

Two series of polyurethaneurea (PUU) aqueous dispersions consisting of fluorinated siloxane segments were prepared from a high-molecular-weight (M_n = 8361) α,ω-dihydroxypoly[(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)methylsiloxane] (PTFPMS), dimethylolpropionic acid, isophorone diisocyanate and ethylenediamine, with poly (tetramethylene oxide) and polycarbonate polyols as soft segments, respectively. These anionic aqueous dispersions were stable at the ambient temperature for more than 6 months, with particle sizes ranging from 45 to 98 nm. Both series of PUU films showed the excellent waterproof properties, i.e. the decrease in water absorption and surface energy upon the incorporation of PTFPMS segments. The phase mixing increased in the fluorinated siloxane-containing polyether-based PUUs and the phase separation increased first then decreased in the fluorinated siloxane-containing polycarbonate-based PUUs, with increasing PTFPMS content. All the PTFPMS-modified PUU films showed excellent mechanical properties. The polycarbonate-based PUU film consisting of 5 wt.% PTFPMS had a tensile strength of 60.7 MPa and a breaking elongation of 632%, owing to the increase in the ordered hydrogen bonding degree and the microphase-separation degree between the hard and soft segments in the system. In vitro hemolysis and dynamic clotting time measurements indicated that the thromboresistance was enhanced markedly with increasing PTFPMS content for both series of PUUs, which could be ascribed to the synergistic effect between the carboxylate groups and the PTFPMS segments migrating onto the surfaces of the films.     

Structural changes and chain orientational behavior during tensile deformation of segmented polyurethanes

Structural changes and segmental orientation behavior of polyurethane have been studied during uniaxial deformation. The orientation function change of the two (free and hydrogen bonded C?O stretching peaks) peaks during a full cycle of deformation has been observed to be distinctively different. Even though the hydrogen-bonded C? O peaks showed hysteresis behavior, the free C? O peaks exhibited quite elastic behavior. It was thus concluded that the orientation behavior of free and hydrogen-bonded C? O stretching peak represents the deformation characteristics of soft and hard domains, respectively. The orientation behavior at different temperatures also has been studied. Temperature has a significant effect on the orientation behavior of the soft domain, whereas it has negligible effect on the hard domain orientation. It was also demonstrated that the structural change due to the deformation could be analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Some of the hydrogen-bonded carbonyl groups have been observed to be transferred to the free carbonyl groups, indicating that a small amount of the hard segments in the hard domain have been pulled out into the soft matrix upon deformation. The orientational relaxation also has been studied as a function of time. The segmental relaxation of the hard segments appears to be quite characteristic depending on the nature of the domain in which they reside. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Enhanced hydrogen bonding and its dramatic impact on deformation behaviors in a biomedical poly(carbonate urethane) with fluorinated chain extender

The enhanced hydrogen bonding, manifested by significant frequency decreasing of both N? H and C?O stretching vibrations, is confirmed in a biomedical poly(carbonate urethane) with fluorinated chain extender. It gives rise to preferential association among hard segments and thus promoted microphase separation, which is responsible for the plastic deformation behaviors of the fluorinated poly(carbonate urethane). Furthermore, the segmental orientation, including both soft and hard segments, has been well correlated with the enhanced hydrogen bonding as well as promoted microphase separation. Under stretching large domains are prone to orient with their long axis along tensile direction and thus a negative orientation of hard segments is observed. Meanwhile, decreased orientation of soft segments can also find its origin in the reduced crosslinking density provided by hard domains because of preferential association among hard segments in such a biomedical material. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2198–2205, 2009     

用可再生原料合成聚氨酯脲水分散液——成膜后的结构与性能研究

以不同组成的蓖麻油和二官能度聚醚多元醇 (GE 2 10 )等原料合成了聚氨酯脲 (PUU)水分散液 ,研究了蓖麻油 GE 2 10的组成对PUU膜结构与性能的影响 .结果表明 ,由GE 2 10合成的PUU虽软硬段间存在一定的相容性 ,但其中脲羰基的氢键化程度高 ,硬段形成较好的有序结构 ,导致PUU膜具有较高的拉伸强度及断裂伸长率 ,但弹性模量和硬度下降 .在蓖麻油合成的PUU中脲羰基的氢键化程度及硬段有序结构均受到化学交联结构的抑制 ,故PUU膜的拉伸强度和断裂伸长率降低 ,但弹性模量及硬度较高 .由蓖麻油与GE 2 10在一定的组成范围内合成的PUU膜 ,具有优良的综合平衡的力学性能 ,后者与材料的结构形态相符     

Morphology of polyurethanes with triol monomer crosslinked on hard segments

Polyester‐based polyurethanes containing ≈60 wt % of polyester were synthesized from low molecular weight polyester (M_n ≈2000) and 4,4′‐methylene bis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI), with butanediol as a chain extender and glycerol as a crosslinker. The triol crosslinker was used in substitution for the 1,4‐butanediol chain extender; thus, the crosslinker was chemical bonded to the hard segments of polyurethane. The morphologies of these polyurethanes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), TMA (thermal mechanical analysis), and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). Owing to the highly steric hindrance, the presence of triol crosslinker in the hard segments resulted in a decrease in the aggregation of hard segments through hydrogen bonding. The experimental results revealed that the degree of phase segregation of soft and hard segments decreased with increasing the triol crosslinker content in the hard segments. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2673–2681, 1999     

Side group functionalized liquid crystalline polymers and blends VII. Phase behaviour and elastic constants K1 and K3 for hydrogen bonded blends of a functionalized LC copolymer with a low molecular mass non-mesogenic dopant

New hydrogen bonded blends of LC copolymers containing functional carboxyl groups with a low molecular mass pyridine-containing dopant were obtained and the orientational, optical and elastic properties of the blends were measured using the Fréedericksz method of threshold transitions in a magnetic field. The averaged order parameter S of the hydrogen bonded blends is found to be lower than that of the initial functionalized LC polymers. Furthermore, a considerable increase in the K₃/K₁ ratio is observed caused by an increment in the average 'effective' length of the hydrogen bonded mesogenic group. For the first time it is proven that LC blends with hydrogen bonded mesogenic groups obey the same main relationship of orientational elastic deformations as common nematic LC polymers with covalent bonding of mesogenic side groups.     

Chlorine degradation of polyether-based polyurethane

The tensile properties of polyether-based polyurethane (PU) filaments decrease with increasing chlorine concentrations as well as with treatment times. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results show the formation of quinoid, azo, and aldehyde groups in the chlorine-treated PU, and increased hydrogen bonding between the C O C in the soft segment and the N H in the hard segments. A breakdown mechanism involving chain cleavages along the ether linkages in the soft segments as well as at the urethane linkages of the hard–soft segment interfaces is proposed. Chlorine-treated PU showed increased solubility in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The molecular weight data of the THF-soluble portion of treated PU also support the proposed locations of chain scissions. The increased soft segment T_g and T_m with increasing chlorine concentrations are results of increased phase-mixing and hydrogen bonding. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3263–3273, 1997     

Novel polycarbonate-based polyurethane elastomers: Composition–property relationship

Novel all-aliphatic polycarbonate-based polyurethane (PC-PU) elastomers, as well as PC-PU nanocomposites filled with organic-modified clays were synthesized, characterized and studied. It was found that they have very attractive mechanical properties (e.g., elongation at break between 600% and 800%). The prepared PC-PUs possess a distinctly segmented structure, which is the key prerequisite for their behavior as strong physical rubbery networks. All synthesized materials melt at elevated temperatures (between 110 and 200 °C) and hence can be processed like normal thermoplastics. The dispersion of the clay nanofiller was achieved by its one day swelling in the alcohol and a brief successive stirring. This procedure is very successful and leads to a partial exfoliation of the clay (documented by X-ray diffraction and TEM). The best nanocomposites with very good tensile properties, particularly with significantly increased moduli were obtained using the bentonite nanofiller. The study shows that the nanofiller interacts strongly with the hard domains and influences their melting temperature (DMTA and DSC), but it does not affect the glass transition temperature of soft domains. While Cloisite 15A was found to interact preferentially with the hard domains, the organic modified bentonite shows a strong interaction with both soft and hard segments, behaving as a blending agent. Hard domains in neat matrices, formed by hydrogen bonding of hard segments, were practically invisible by X-ray or TEM, but were successfully detected by AFM. Besides excellent mechanical properties, the prepared elastomers and their nanocomposites showed an interesting phase behavior (which was studied by combining DMTA and modulated DSC).     

Preparation and characterization of waterborne poly(urethane urea) with well‐defined hard segments

A series of polyester‐based poly(urethane urea) (PUU) aqueous dispersions with well‐defined hard segments were prepared from polyester polyol, 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate, dimethylolpropionic acid, 1,4‐butanediol, isophorone diisocyanate, and ethylenediamine. These anionic‐type aqueous dispersions had good dispersity in water and were stable at the ambient temperature for more than 1 year. For these aqueous dispersions, the particle size decreased as the hard‐segment content increased, and the polydispersity index was very narrow (<1.10). Films prepared with the PUU aqueous dispersions exhibited excellent waterproof performance: the amount of water absorption was as low as 5.0 wt %, and the contact angle of water on the surface of this kind of film was as high as 103° (this led to a hydrophobic surface). The water‐resistant property of these waterborne PUU films could be well correlated with some crystallites and ordered structures of the well‐defined hard segments formed by hydrogen bonding between the urethane/urethane groups and urethane/ester groups, as well as the degree of microphase separation between the hard and soft segments in the PUU systems. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2606–2614, 2005     

FTIR studies on the compatibility of hard-soft segments for polyurethane-imide copolymers with different soft segments

The polyurethane-imide (PUI) copolymers with different soft segments (polyethylene-co-propylene adipates, polyethylene glycol, or polypropylene-oxide) were studied. FTIR spectroscopy shows the different absorption bands of imide-I groups and reveals the different intermolecular interactions due to hydrogen bonding in these PUI copolymers. FTIR results suggest there is a good compatibility between hard and soft segments in either polyester-PUIs or polyether-PUIs having short soft segments. On the other hand, DSC analysis reveals that the glass transition temperature for hard segments (T_gh) of polyether-PUIs is higher than that of polyester-PUIs, and it increases with the soft segment length in PUIs consisting of the same type soft segments, which further supports the conclusions drawn from the FTIR data.     

Ethyl N‐phenyl­oxamate

The oxamate group in the title compound, C₁₀H₁₁NO₃, is almost coplanar with the phenyl ring because of intramol­ecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions, and the structure can be described as an anilide single bonded to an ethyl carboxyl­ate group. The supramolecular structure is achieved through intermolecular hard N—H⋯O and soft C—H⋯X (X = O and phenyl) hydrogen‐bonding interactions.     

Preparation and properties of waterborne polyurethaneurea consisting of fluorinated siloxane units

A series of polyurethaneurea (PUU) aqueous dispersions were prepared via a prepolymer process from polyester polyol, α,ω‐dihydroxypoly[(3,3,3‐trifluoropropyl) methylsiloxane] (PTFPMS), dimethylolpropionic acid, isophorone diisocyanate, and ethylenediamine. These anionic‐type aqueous dispersions were stable at the ambient temperature for more than 6 months, with particle sizes ranging from 69 to 127 nm. For these aqueous dispersions, the surface tension decreased with increasing PTFPMS content, but the particle size increased with a maximum value. The film prepared from the PUU aqueous dispersion consisting of 5 wt % PTFPMS (APU‐FS‐5) exhibited excellent waterproof performance. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the APU‐FS‐5 film increased nearly 3 times compared with that of the PUU film without PTFPMS, whereas the elongation at break only decreased a little; this indicated that the water‐resistant and mechanical properties could be enhanced markedly and simultaneously for the PUU films containing both silicon and fluorine groups. The experimental results showed a high degree of hydrogen bonding for urea groups and an increased microphase‐separation degree between the hard and soft segments in the PTFPMS‐modified system, which resulted in the excellent mechanical properties of these films. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3365–3373, 2006     

Hydrogen bonding and crystallization in biodegradable multiblock poly(ester urethane) copolymer

The hydrogen bonding and crystallization of a biodegradable poly(ester urethane) copolymer based on poly(L ‐lactide) (PLLA) as the soft segment were investigated by FTIR. On slow cooling from melt, the onset and the progress of the crystallization of the urethane hard segments were correlated to the position, width, and relative intensity of the hydrogen‐bonded N? H stretching band. The interconversion between the “free” and hydrogen‐bonded N? H and C?O groups in the urethane units in the process was also revealed by 2D correlation analysis of the FTIR data. The crystallization of the PLLA soft segments was monitored by the ester C?O stretching and the skeletal vibrations. It was revealed that the PLLA crystallization was restricted by the phase separation and the urethane crystallization, and at cooling rates of 10 °C/min or higher, the crystallization of the PLLA soft segments was prohibited. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 685–695, 2009     

聚醚氨酯红外N—H伸缩振动谱带分析

通过快速淬火实验,直接观察到聚醚氨酯中由硬段N—H基与软段—O—形成氢键的N—H伸缩振动谱带位于约3295cm~(-1),低于与硬段本身C=O形成氢键的N—H伸缩振动谱带(约3330cm~(-1))。这两种氢键键连的N—H伸缩振动谱带的位置从聚醚氨酯-四氢呋喃溶液的红外光谱得到证实。在此基础上讨论了三种聚醚氨酯试样的红外光谱中N—H伸缩振动谱带的差异。     

Structure Development in Flexible Polyurethane Foam-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites

Summary: Polyurethane foam nanocomposites were formed via in-situ copolymerisations, in which polyether polyol/water-montmorillonite mixtures were reacted with toluene diisocyanate. The unmodified Na⁺- montmorillonite (MMT) was swollen in polyol/water using an ultrasound technique resulting in intercalated layers with increased basal spacings of 2.3 ± 0.1 nm. Measurements of quasi-adiabatic temperature rise showed higher reaction rates as MMT loading increased from 0 to 10 wt.-%. Forced-adiabatic FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the kinetics of both the copolymerisation and of the microphase separation between poly(ether-urethane) soft segments and polyurea hard segments. The apparent microphase-separation transition time decreased from 70 ± 3 to 42 ± 2 s upon addition of ≤10 wt.-% MMT, but at reaction times >100 s there was significant retardation of the development of hydrogen bonding in the urea groups of the hard-segment phase.     

Hydrogen‐bonding,crystallinity, and morphological properties of poly(silicic acid)/waterborne polyurethane nanocomposites

Unique nanocomposites consisting of poly(silicic acid) nanoparticles (PNs) and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) were prepared. The aliphatic WPU prepared in this study was end‐capped with a silanol group, which could react with PNs via a sol–gel process. PNs were modified with phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) and 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl ester (TMPE) and then blended with WPU. The structure–property relationships were examined. Solid‐state ²⁹Si NMR spectra of WPU showed that structures T₁, T₂, and T₃ of WPU decreased and structures Q₃ and Q₄ of PN/WPU nanocomposites increased gradually. When the PN concentration increased to 10 wt %, PN/WPU nanocomposites exhibited the maximum fraction of hydrogen‐bonded carbonyl groups. In the PTMS–PN and TMPE–PN systems, the fraction of hydrogen‐bonded carbonyl groups fluctuated stably when the concentrations of PTMS–PN and TMPS–PN exceeded 5 wt %. The X‐ray diffraction results revealed that α‐form, γ‐form, or triclinic crystallization could be found in the WPU matrix. A differential scanning calorimetry spectrum showed that the crystalline structure of the hard segment of WPU was influenced by the nanoparticle concentration. The degrees of crystallinity were 88% for the PN/WPU nanocomposites, 41% for the PTMS–PN/WPU nanocomposites, and 54% for the TMPE–PN/WPU nanocomposites when the PN, PTMS–PN, and TMPE–PN concentrations were 5 wt %. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1076–1089, 2005     

On the photoreactivity of diacetylene containing thermoplastic block copolymers

A group of block copolymers containing diacetylenes as chain extenders in their hard segments was prepared, based on urethanes, esters, ureas, and amides as hard segments and polybutadienes, polyethers, polyesters, and polysiloxanes as soft segments. Almost all block copolymers were photoreactive, but there was a wide range of sensitivities. The photoreactivity of the copolymers was found to depend on the reactivity of the monomer unit, on the width of the diacetylene stacks in the hard segments, and on the degree of phase separation in the solid films. To explore the range of monomer reactivities we prepared 15 crystalline monomers. Urethanes were in general the most reactive, and this was attributed in part to the specific effect of hydrogen bonding which brings about a shortening of the C₁ to C₄ distance between diacetylenes tend to reduce the photoreactivity. The behavior of identical diacetylene units in the monomer crystal, in the homopolymer, and in the block copolymer is discussed in this paper.     

In situ polymerization and characterization of elastomeric polyurethane-cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites. Cell response evaluation

Polyurethane/Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanocomposites have been prepared by means of in situ polymerization using CNCs as precursors of polyurethane chains. Thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization has been analyzed to study the effect of CNC on the micro/nanostructure, which consisted of individualized nanocellulose crystallites covalently bonded to hard and soft segments of polyurethane. The incorporation of low CNC content led to a tough material whereas higher amount of CNC provoked an increase in soft and hard segments crystallization phenomenon. Moreover, from the viewpoint of polyurethane and polyurethane nanocomposites applications focused on biomedical devices, biocompatibility studies can be considered necessary to evaluate the influence of CNC on the biological behaviour. SEM micrographs obtained from cells seeded on top of the materials showed that L-929 fibroblasts massively colonized the materials surface giving rise to good substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation and useful as potential materials for biomedical applications.     

丁苯、丁腈基聚氨酯的形态与性能

用示差扫描量热法 (DSC)、红外分光光度计 (FTIR)和原子力显微镜 (AFM)研究了端羟基聚丁二烯 苯乙烯共聚物 (HTBS)、端羟基聚丁二烯 丙烯腈共聚物 (HTBN)和端羟基聚丁二烯 (HTPB)与甲苯二异氰酸酯、1 ,4 丁二醇构成的溶液法聚二烯烃基聚氨酯 (PU)的形态结构 .结果表明HTPB和HTBS基PU的相分离程度很大 ,而HTBN基PU的相分离程度小 .这可能归因于HTBS软段的极性低 ,不能与硬段形成氢键 ,而HTBN软段中的腈基具有很强的极性 ,且可以与硬段形成氢键作用 ,增加了软硬段间的相容性 ,相分离程度明显降低 .AFM表明HTBN PU随着硬段含量提高 ,表面粗糙度增大 ,由软段为连续相逐渐过渡到双连续结构 .在硬段含量 6 3%时 ,HTBN和HTPB基PU均呈双连续结构 ,而HTBS PU中硬段为连续相 .HTBN PU软段的相区尺寸在1 2nm左右 ,表面粗糙度较大 ,HPBS PU软段的相区尺寸在 1 1nm左右 ,表面粗糙度最小 ,HTPB PU存在 1 4nm和 5 0nm大小不等的软段相区尺寸 .力学性能表明 ,在软段中引入苯乙烯和丙烯腈结构 ,可使聚氨酯抗张强度分别提高 1 5和 2倍 ,模量和断裂伸长率也明显提高