Polymer, Vol.40, No.18, 5153-5160, 1999
Preparation and characterization of poly(urethane-imide) films prepared from reactive polyimide and polyurethane prepolymer
A novel type of poly(urethane-imide) was prepared by a reaction of a polyurethane prepolymer and a soluble polyimide containing hydroxyl functional group. Polyurethane prepolymer was prepared by a reaction of polyester polyol and 2,4-tolylenediisocyanate and then end-capped with phenol. Soluble polyimide was prepared by the two-step synthesis from 2,2'-bis (3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and 3,3'-diamino-4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl (AHBP). Soluble polyimides having various content of hydroxyl functional groups were prepared similarly by using diamine mixtures of AHBP and oxydianiline. Cast films were obtained from blend solutions of the polyurethane prepolymer and the polyimide. The cast films were thermally treated at various temperatures to give a series of transparent poly(urethane-imide) films. By changing the ratio of polyurethane and polyimide components, poly(urethane-imide) films having various properties from plastic to elastomer were prepared. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that lower glass transition temperature (T-g) of the films shift to high temperature with the increase of polyimide component, suggesting that the two polymer components are miscible to some extent. Thermogravimetric analyses indicated that the thermal degradation of poly(urethane-imide) occurs at ca. 270 degrees C, which is ca. 30 degrees C higher than the conventional polyurethane, confirming that the introduction of polyimide component improved the thermal stability of polyurethane.