Synthesis, properties, and dyeing application of nonionic waterborne polyurethanes with different chain length of ethyldiamines as the chain extender

Abstract

AbstractThis study deals with the synthesis of some nonionic waterborne polyurethanes (PUs), using ethyldiamines of different chain length, such as ethylenediamine (EDA) and diethyltriamine (DETA), as the chain extender in the reaction, and examines the thermal properties, mechanical properties, and dyeing properties of the PU products and their blends. As far as each PU by itself is concerned, we found that the Tg of the one made with DETA is the highest, followed by that with EDA, and the one with 1,4‐butanediol (1,4‐BD) is the lowest. The PU made with 1,4‐BD as the chain extender has no Tm, while the two others, using diamines as chain extenders, have a clear Tm, the one with DETA being higher than that with EDA. However, the enthalpy data are just the opposite. The tensile strengths of the two PUs, made with diamines as the chain extender, are larger than that made with 1,4‐BD, but their respective elongation properties are just the opposite. A comparison within PUs made with diamines showed that the one made with EDA is greater in both strength and elongation categories than that made with DETA. However, the one made with DETA is far superior to both of those made with 1,4‐BD and EDA in their dye‐exhaustion ratio, color yield (K/S), fixation rate, and color fastness. In respect to the various PU mixtures that we examined, we found that both PUs synthesized with EDA or DETA as the chain extender would have their Tg's greatly increased by blending in some PU made using 1,4‐BD as the chain extender. Among them, in particular, a blend of PU, made separately with DETA and 1, 4‐BD as the chain extender, showed great improvements in both tensile strength and elongation and also demonstrated better dyeability. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2824–2833, 2003