Hybrid networks incorporating fluorous polyoxetane soft blocks

Abstract

Easily cleaned surfaces are of great interest because of a wide range of applications and strong economic impact attendant to advances. This research explores a model rigid adherent and two hybrid elastomeric coatings based on fluorous polyoxetanes, namely, poly(2‐trifluoroethoxymethyl‐2‐methyl‐1,3 propylene oxide) ‘3F’ and the pentafluoropropoxymethyl‐ analog ‘5F’. After reaction of 3F and 5F polyols with 4,4′‐methylenebis‐(cyclohexylisocyanate) (HMDI), end capping with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane was carried out for subsequent hydrolysis/condensation cure to urethane/urea hybrids. Tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis were used to characterize bulk mechanical properties and glass transition temperatures. Wetting behavior was examined by static contact angles. The resistance to adhesion of a rigid bonded object is determined by quantitatively assessing the peak removal force for epoxied aluminum cylinders. Although the peak removal force for epoxied aluminum cylinders (Pc‐s, 0.18 MPa at 700 for 3F‐UUr‐SiO1.5) is similar to PDMS elastomers, a preliminary study suggests resistance to swelling by hexadecane (24 h, <1%) may be an advantage compared to PDMS coatings (24 h, 35%) for applications involving exposure to hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.