| Abstract: | A series of polyurethane block copolymers based on hydroxybutyl terminated poly(chloropropylmethyl-dimethylsiloxane) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) soft segments of molecular weights 2100 and 2000, respectively, were synthesized. The hard segments consisted of 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) that was chain extended with either 1,4-butanediol (BD) or N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). The materials chain extended with MDEA were ionized using 1,3-propane sultone. The weight fraction of the hard segments was in the range 0.30–0.45. The effect of mixed soft segments, chain extenders, and zwitterionization on the extent of phase separation and physical properties was studied by utilizing differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical, stress-strain, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy experiments. All of these short segment block copolymers showed nearly complete phase separation. The zwitterionomer materials exhibited ionic aggregation within the hard domains. Although hard segment crystallinity or ionic aggregation did not affect the morphology, hard domain cohesion was important in determining the tensile and viscoelastic properties of these elastomers. |
