Irradiation effects and photostability of aerosil-filled polyurethane as a matrix for laser solid-state elements

Abstract

Photooxidation processes during irradiation of the aerosil-filled polyurethane films, based on oligooxypropylene glycol, toluene diisocyanate and trimethylolpropane, for a use as the active media of solid-state lasers were investigated by means of the IR-spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) methods, depending on the inorganic dopant concentration (5 and 7 wt%). The IR-spectroscopic experiments showed that the introduction of aerosil slowed down these processes. Data from dynamic mechanical studies indicated that irradiation of aerosil-filled polyurethane matrices caused an increase in its structural heterogeneity and a drop of the elastic modulus. During irradiation of the polyurethane material with 7 wt% of aerosil, a partial destruction of the nanofiller spatial network was possible due to dispersion of the irradiation energy by the nanoparticles. The obtained results demonstrated a positive effect of the aerosil nanofiller on the polyurethane material stability under irradiation with an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp.