Thermoplastic Poly Ester Urethane Research Articles

Designing UV/VIS/NIR-sensitive shape memory filament yarns

A novel laser light-sensitive yarn based on a thermoplastic polyester–urethane (TPU) has been prepared and analyzed. Since the thermosensitive shape memory polymer yarn (SMP yarn) has been functionalized using nanoscale heat sources exhibiting light-induced heat generation, the yarn is capable of an optically triggered shape memory effect (SME). For this purpose gold nanorods (GNR) have been employed. In addition to the incorporation of GNR into the yarn, a coating of GNR on the yarn is also proposed, applied by a semi-continuous layer-by-layer (LBL) technique. The SME of the functionalized yarns can be triggered either thermally or optically and has a strain recovery of almost 100%. The light-induced SME is triggered by a low-powered laser (808 nm, 2 W for a GNR-incorporated and 1 W for a GNR-coated TPU yarn). A reference yarn without GNR showed no significant effect. An adaptive structure featuring a SMP-yarn backed shape memory effect has been proposed and demonstrated.

Bio‐plastics and elastomers from polylactic acid/thermoplastic polyurethane blends

ABSTRACTBlends of two biocompatible polymers: thermoplastic polyester‐urethane (TPU) and polylactic acid (PLA) were studied. The effect of the blending ratio on blend morphology and properties was examined by running a series of blends from 10 to 80 wt % of PLA. Increasing TPU concentration in the blends lowered the glass transition and melting point of PLA indicating that the components were compatible and partially miscible. The blends with 10–40 wt % PLA are hard, reinforced elastomers, while those with 60–80 wt % PLA are tough plastics. Cocontinuous morphology was suggested in samples with 40 and 50 wt % PLA. Inversion points between 30 and 40 wt % PLA (from globular phase is dispersed in the matrix to a cocontinuous morphology) and between 50 and 60 wt % PLA (a transition from cocontinuous to TPU dispersed in the PLA matrix) were observed. Elastomers with higher PLA content and intermediate morphology displayed a combination of high tensile strength, hardness, relatively high elongation and modulus. New materials have potential applications in the medical field. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41104.

TG-FTIR study of the thermal degradation of polyoxymethylene (POM)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends

A series of blends of polyoxymethylene (POM)/thermoplastic polyesterurethane (TPU) has been obtained by mechanical processing using a double screw extruder. The thermal stability and the thermal degradation profiles of POM/TPU blends were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) coupled on-line with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was found that incorporation of TPU into POM matrix resulted in increase of thermal stability of blends in comparison with pristine materials. The thermal degradation of TPU in inert gas atmosphere proceeds in two steps while the thermal degradation of POM is basically a one step process with a substage in a higher temperature range. The most abundant volatile products of the thermal degradation were identified; the possibly routes of their formation have been presented.