Synthesis and characterization of nanosilica/polyurethane composites

PERUZZO, P.J.; ANBINDER, P.S.; GAMBINO, L.G.; PARDINI, O.R.; AMALVY, J.I.

Reñaca, Chile

Simposio; IV Simposio Argentino-Chileno de Polímeros ARCHIPOL´07; 2007

Waterborne polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) are raw materials for the production of environmentally friendly paints and coatings with a wide spectrum of applications. The incorporation of nanosilica can lead to films with improve properties like increased indentation hardness, high resistance to whitening and high permeability to water vapor. These materials are useful as tough, abrasion-resistant coatings with increasing friction coefficient and reduced tackiness, with no change in gloss. However the improvements can only be made if the inorganic silica particles in the polymer matrix are dispersed homogeneously. In this work, the synthesis of nanosilica/polyurethane composites using different preparative methods and with different nanosilica content is presented and films prepared from dispersions are characterized using FTIR, SAXS, TEM and UV-Vis, Buchholz hardness of films are also presented and discussed.