Synthesis and characterization of novel, biodegradable, thermally stable chitin‐based polyurethane elastomers

Abstract

AbstractBiodegradable polyurethane (PU) elastomers with potential for biomedical and industrial applications with tunable thermal properties were synthesized by the reaction of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) and 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate and extended with different mass ratios of chitin and 1,4‐butane diol (BDO). Their chemical structures were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, 1H‐NMR, and 13C‐NMR spectroscopy, and the thermal properties were determined by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis techniques. The incorporation of chitin contents into the PU backbone caused improvements in the thermal stability and degradation rate. Optimum thermal properties and degradation profile were obtained from elastomers extended with chitin, whereas elastomers extended with BDO displayed the worst properties. The investigation of the structure–property relationships of the prepared elastomers showed that the main determining factors for the observed properties were the physical effective crosslink density, hydrogen bonding, thermal stability, and content of chitin in the PU backbone. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008