Water-polymer interactions and mechanisms of water-driven glass transition decrease in non-isocyanate polyhydroxyurethanes with varying hydration sites

Abstract

Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) with varying content of secondary amino groups along their chain were studied with respect to water absorption and plasticization. Secondary amino groups promote water uptake. Water sorption isotherms in the water activity range 0–0.97 are discussed in terms of various sorption models. Secondary amino groups act as additional hydration sites, increasing monolayer capacity. The red shift of the IR band assigned to the carbonyl of the urethane and the simultaneous blue shift of the urethane N–H bending band show cleavage of the polymer-polymer hydrogen bonds upon water uptake, due to strong interactions between water molecules and hydroxyurethanes constituting the primary hydration sites. A decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg) is observed with increasing water content. The effect is discussed in terms of plasticization and slaving mechanisms, while a peculiar decrease of Tg at very low hydrations is attributed to a mechanism not following common mixing laws.