SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF WATERBORNE POLYURETHANE DISPERSIONS AND FILMS FROM CASTOR OIL

M. E. V. HORMAIZTEQUI; V. L. MUCCI; M. I. ARANGUREN

Santa Fe

Simposio; XI Simposio Argentino de Polímeros - SAP 2015; 2015

INTEC

Waterborne polyurethanes (WBPU) were synthesized in order to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The ability of dispersion in water of the particles of PU, results from the modification of the polyurethane by incorporating ionic groups in its structure. In this work, dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA) and triethylamine (TEA) are the reagents chosen to introduce those ionic groups.The industrial interests in the development of eco-friendly materials moved by a greater consumer awareness for the well-being of our environment have increased the use of renewable resources as raw materials for the polymer industry. For this reason, many recent efforts have focused on the partial or complete replacement of the conventional petroleum-based polyols used in the formulation of WBPU, with those made from renewable resources such as vegetable oils.Natural oils are abundant, relatively cheap and can be used without modifications or after being reacted to synthesize polyols with different chemical structures and functionalities. In this work, a vegetable oil polyol is being used to prepare the WBPU.Two waterborne polyurethanes dispersions, WBPU1 and WBPU2, based on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) and a vegetable oil polyol (castor oil, CO, f=2.97) were synthetized. Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) was used because of its ability to form optically clear polyurethanes when combined with suitable polyol co-reactants. The process parameters were adjusted depending on the polyol and the films were prepared by casting. The WBPU dispersions were characterized with DLS and the films obtained by FTIR spectroscopy, DRX, gel permeation chromatography (SEC), mechanical testing and DSC.