Synthesis and characteristics of nonisocyanate polyurethane composed of bio‐based dimer diamine for supercritical CO2 foaming applications

Abstract

AbstractNonisocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) was synthesized using different concentrations of C36‐alkylenediamine (C36DDA), hexamethylene diamine, and a cyclic carbonate monomer synthesized from bisphenol A epoxy resin and carbon dioxide. The structures, molecular weights, thermal behaviors, and stabilities of the NIPU copolymers were evaluated using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry measurements. All synthesized NIPUs were amorphous and exhibited good Td−5% thermal stabilities above 250°C; Tg decreased from 73 to 51°C as C36DDA content increased from 0% to 10% based on dynamic mechanical analysis tests. Furthermore, ethylenediamine (EDA) as a chain extender incorporating a small amount of crosslinker 1,2,4,5‐benzenetetracarboxylic acid (PMA) can enhance the melt strength of a partially three‐dimensional network, and the attained NIPU showed elastic properties. Thus, the NIPU synthesized with 7.5% and 10% C36DDA containing small amounts of EDA and PMA were suitable choices for supercritical CO2 foaming; their morphologies and mechanical behaviors were examined by scanning electron microscopy and DMA, and the densities of foamed NIPU with 7.5% and 10% C36DDA were calculated as 432 and 215 kg m−3 with pore sizes of 10–20 μm, respectively. The maximum stresses were attained at 149.5 and 123.4 kPa, and the foamed NIPU displayed rigid foam behaviors owing to the compression behaviors of the stress–strain curves.