Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol.37, No.18, 2586-2600, 1999
Domain structure and interphase dimensions in poly(urethaneurea) elastomers using DSC and SAXS
Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and differential scattering calorimetry (DSC) were used to demonstrate distinct differences in domain size, phase separation, and hydrogen bonding in a series of segmented urethaneurea elastomers prepared from isocyanate-terminated prepolymers and aromatic diamine chain extenders. Two types of prepolymers were studied. The first contained a broadly polydisperse high molecular mass oligomer with relatively high levels of free isocyanate monomer. The second type of prepolymer contained low levels of high molecular mass oligomers with mass fractions greater than 90% of the two-to-one adduct of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) to polytetramethylene glycol (PTMEG). The mass fraction of the residual unreacted diisocyanate was less than 0.1% in the second type. Two chain extenders, 4,4'-methylene bis-(2-chloroaniline)(Mboca) and 4,4'-methylene bis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethylaniline) (MCDEA), were used to convert the prepolymers to poly(urethaneurea) elastomers. Materials prepared from the prepolymers with low oligomer polydispersity exhibited smaller hard segment domains with more ordered morphology, greater phase separation, and more hydrogen bonding than those prepared from prepolymers with high oligomer polydispersity. These tendencies were enhanced in those elastomers prepared by chain extension with MCDEA compared to those made with Mboca.
Keywords:small-angle scattering;differential scanning calorimetry;microstructure;urethaneurea;elastomer