Abstract
In this study, a waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is synthesized by using polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) to form the soft segment, 1,4-butanediol (BDO) as the chain extender, n-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) as a hydrophilic chain extender, and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) to form the hard segment. Furthermore, the modified cationic WPU emulsion and its films are created through a reaction between the WPU and a linear polyether-blocked amino silicone (LEPS), which is an organosilicon compound that imparts flexibility. The properties of the structure and formed WPU films are then characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, a thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as by measuring the water contact angle, testing the water absorption, etc. It is found that, with an increase in the LEPS content in the WPU, the particle size of the modified WPU emulsion is increased, the WPU films are more flexible, and the resistance of the modified WPU films to heat and water are increased, while the crystallinity is reduced. The polysiloxane chain segment, which is added to the LEPS-modified WPU emulsion, is significantly enriched on the surface of the modified WPU films, while there are no adverse effects of the LEPS-modified WPU emulsion on the adhesive force between the WPU and substrate. When the LEPS content of the WPU is 14.0 wt%, the modified WPU emulsion and film provide the best performance.
Highlights
Waterborne polyurethane (WPU), as a functional environmental protection material, is widely used for coating floors and walls in construction sites, in finishings for furniture, coating of leather, 3D printing, fixing reactive dyes, bonding interior materials in automobiles, and binding ink, as a biomaterial for cardiovascular applications in medicine, and in a variety of other different industries [1,2,3,4,5,6]
A modified cationic WPU emulsion and its films are created through a reaction between the WPU prepolymer and linear polyether-blocked amino silicone (LEPS), which is an organosilicon compound with a large molecular weight and low ammonia value
This means that there is an increase in the polysiloxane segments on the surface of the LEPS-modified WPU films, which in turn means that there is an increase of Si and O on the surface of the films while the C and N contents are obviously reduced compared to the surface of the untreated WPU film
Summary
Waterborne polyurethane (WPU), as a functional environmental protection material, is widely used for coating floors and walls in construction sites, in finishings for furniture, coating of leather, 3D printing, fixing reactive dyes, bonding interior materials in automobiles, and binding ink, as a biomaterial for cardiovascular applications in medicine, and in a variety of other different industries [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Cationic WPU is easy to use with a certain bactericidal effect, especially on electroactive substrates with a negative charge, such as textiles, leather, and paper. These are flexible substrates which require a soft WPU film. A modified cationic WPU emulsion and its films are created through a reaction between the WPU prepolymer and linear polyether-blocked amino silicone (LEPS), which is an organosilicon compound with a large molecular weight and low ammonia value. The stability of the modified WPU solution, hardness, adhesion, resistance to water and heat, crystallinity and other properties of the films are examined, and the impacts of adding LEPS on the structure and properties of the WPU emulsion and films are investigated
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