Well‐defined polycaprolactone precursors for low surface‐energy polyurethane films |
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Authors: | T Diki? W Ming P C Thüne R A T M van Benthem G de With |
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Institution: | 1. Laboratory of Materials and Interface Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands;2. Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven, The Netherlands;3. Schuit Institute of Catalysis, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | For the purpose of developing model coating systems, it is important to use well‐defined coating precursors. In this work, polyester oligomers were synthesized by controlled ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone and 4‐tert‐butyl‐ε‐caprolactone via an activated monomer mechanism. These well‐defined oligomers, including 3‐armed hydroxyl‐functionalized polyesters and perfluoroalkyl‐end‐capped linear polyesters, have been obtained with controlled functionality and low‐molecular weight polydispersity and without the formation of cyclic structures, as demonstrated by MALDI‐ToF MS analyses. The polymer architecture and functionality can be tuned by using different initiating alcohols. These oligomers have been used as precursors to prepare model low surface‐energy polyurethane coatings. Upon the addition of about 1 wt % of fluorine in the polyurethane films, the advancing contact angles for water and hexadecane have been increased to 105° and 78°, respectively; the surface enrichment of fluorinated species has been confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 218–227, 2008 |
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Keywords: | low surface‐energy coatings ring‐opening polymerization polyurethanes surfaces well‐defined polycaprolactones |
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