Effects of solid substrate on structure and properties of casting waterborne polyurethane/carboxymethylchitin films

We prepared two series of semiinterpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) films from cross-linked waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and carboxymethylchitin (CMCH) in the aqueous solution on the glass and Teflon as the hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates, respectively, by casting method. The chemical compositions, structure and morphologies of the films were examined by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The miscibility, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the films were investigated by density measurement, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile testing and solvent swelling testing. The results revealed that the semi-IPN films exhibited good miscibility when CMCH content was lower than 35 and 65 wt% for the films prepared on the glass and Teflon, respectively, resulting in higher light transmittance, thermal stability and tensile strength than the WPU film. Interestingly, the films prepared with the Teflon as the substrate possessed better miscibility and higher storage modulus, thermal stability, tensile strength and solvent-resistance than that with the glass as the substrate over the entire composition range studied here. This difference can be attributed that a strong intermolecular interaction occurred between WPU and CMCH to form a dense architecture, owing to that two kinds of macromolecules all were repulsed from the Teflon surface and forced to concentrate into inner surface. It has been confirmed that the hydrophility and hydrophobility of the solid substrate significantly influenced the structures and properties of the casting films, and using Teflon solid substrate can more effectively improve the miscibility and properties of the semi-IPN materials with hydrophilic character than glass one. We proposed a model describing the formation of WPU/CMCH semi-IPN films cast on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates to illustrate the different structures of two types of films.     

Structure–properties relationship of starch/waterborne polyurethane composites

The blend materials from waterborne polyurethane (WPU)/starch (ST) with different contents (10–90 wt %) were satisfactorily prepared by using the solution casting method. Their miscibility, structure, and properties were investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), different scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and the tensile tests, respectively. The results indicated that tensile strength of composite materials not only depended on the starch content, but also related to the microstructure of WPU. The sample WPU2 (1.75 of NCO/OH molar ratio) exhibited hard‐segment order, but WPU1 (1.25 of NCO/OH molar ratio) had no hard‐segment order. The appropriate starch filled into WPU not only decreased the ordered region of soft‐segment matrix, but also hindered the formation of hard‐segment ordered structure. The blend material from 80 wt % WPU1 and 20 wt % starch exhibited better tensile strength (27 MPa), elongation at break (949%), and toughness than others. With an increase of starch content, the WPU matrix with dispersed starch in the blends transited to dual‐phase continuity and then to starch matrix with dispersed WPU. The results suggested that a certain extent of miscibility existed between WPU and starch in the blend materials on the whole composition ratio. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 3325–3332, 2003     

Cellulose/casein blend membranes from NaOH/urea solution

Cellulose membranes and cellulose/casein blend membranes were successfully prepared from a new solvent system (6 wt % NaOH/4 wt % urea aqueous solution) by coagulation with a sulfuric acid aqueous solution. The structures and properties of the membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and a tensile test. The experimental results showed that the suitable coagulation condition was 5 wt % H₂SO₄ for 5 min. When the casein content of the mixture was less than 15 wt %, the blend membranes were miscible because of the interactions between the hydroxyl groups of cellulose and the peptide bonds of casein. The blend membranes with 10 wt % casein had good miscibility, higher crystallinity, and the highest mechanical properties and thermal stability. In this case, the tensile strength and breaking elongation of the blend membranes were 109 MPa and 16%, respectively, and its pore size, obtained by SEM, was 290 nm, which suggests that the blend membranes provide a potential application for the field of separation technology. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 3260–3267, 2001     

Miscibility and properties of blend materials from waterborne polyurethane and carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan

We prepared composite materials by blending waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan (CMKGM) with CMKGM content from 15 to 80 wt % in an aqueous system. The structures and properties of the blend materials were characterized by FTIR, dynamic mechanical analysis, ultraviolet spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and tensile testing. The results indicated that the blend sheet with 80 wt % CMKGM exhibited good miscibility and higher tensile strength (89.1 MPa) than that of both WPU (3.2 MPa) and CMKGM (56.4 MPa) sheets. Moreover, with an increase of CMKGM content, the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and thermal stability increased significantly, attributed to intermolecular hydrogen bonding between CMKGM and WPU. Based on the experimental results, the blend materials have good, or a certain degree of, miscibility over the whole range of composition ratio of WPU to CMKGM. In addition, the blend materials exhibited organic solvent resistance. This work not only provided a simple method to prepare environmentally friendly materials, but also expanded the application of CMKGM. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 77–83, 2004     

Miscibility, thermal characterization and crystallization of poly(l-lactide) and poly(tetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blend membranes

Binary blend membranes of biodegradable poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) with poly(tetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PTAT) copolymer were prepared by solution casting via air evaporation. The miscibility of PLLA/PTAT blends was studied by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) in a tensile mode. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement was carried out. The surface microstructure and tensile properties of the blend membranes were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tensile tester. It was concluded that PLLA/PTAT blends should be partially miscible for all ranges of compositions. Higher roughness and porosity were observed for the blend containing 50% PTAT, suggesting more phase separation occurred. The DSC analysis showed that the fusion enthalpy and crystallinity (X_c) of the PLLA-rich phase decreased with increasing PTAT content. Solidification process strongly suggested that the crystallization rate was accelerated by blending with 25% PTAT content, which served as the nucleation agent. Furthermore, the crystallization rate coefficient (CRC) depended on the blending miscibility and cooling rate in the non-isothermal crystallization process. Besides, PTAT addition could be proved to enhance the thermal stability and elongation of resulting blend membranes, even superior to those properties of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA).     

Properties of crosslinked casein/waterborne polyurethane composites

Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and casein (1 : 1 by weight) were blended at 90°C for 30 min, and then were crosslinked by adding 1–10 wt % ethanedial to prepare a series of sheets. Their structure and properties were characterized by using infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, and tensile testing. The results indicated that crosslinked blend sheets exhibited a certain degree of miscibility, and exhibited much higher tensile strength and water resistivity than did the WPU, casein, and the uncrosslinked blend from WPU and casein. When the ethanedial content was 2 wt %, the tensile strength and elongation at break of crosslinked sheets achieved 19.5 MPa and 148% in the dry state, and 5.0 MPa and 175% in the wet state, respectively. A 2 wt % content of ethanedial plays an important role in the enhancement of mechanical properties, thermal stability, and water resistivity of the blends of WPU and casein as a result of intermolecular crosslinking. This work provided a new protein plastic with good water resistivity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 332–338, 2004     

Mechanical properties and morphological changes of poly(lactic acid)/polycarbonate/poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) blend through reactive processing

The mechanical properties and morphological changes of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) polymer blends were investigated. Several types of blend samples were prepared by reactive processing (RP) with a twin‐screw extruder using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a radical initiator. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) of binary polymer blends of PC/PBAT indicated that each component was miscible over a wide range of PC/PBAT mixing ratios. DMA of PLA/PBAT/PC ternary blends revealed that PBAT is miscible with PC even in the case of ternary blend system and the miscibility of PLA and PBAT can also be modified through RP. As a result, the tensile strain and impact strength of the ternary blends was increased considerably through RP, especially for PLA/PBAT/PC = 42/18/40 (wt/wt/wt) with DCP (0.3 phr). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the PLA/PBAT/PC blends revealed many small spherical island phases with a domain size of approximately 0.05–1 μm for RP, whereas it was approximately 10 μm without RP. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Preparation and characterization of soy protein isolate–carboxymethylated konjac glucomannan blend films

To improve the mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of soy protein films, the transparent films were prepared by blending 5 wt % soy protein isolate (SPI) alkaline water solution with 2 wt % carboxymethylated konjac glucomannan (CMKGM) aqueous solution and drying at 30 °C. The structure and properties of the blend films were studied by infrared spectroscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, and measurements of mechanical properties and water vapor transmission. The results demonstrated a strong interaction and good miscibility between SPI and CMKGM due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The thermostability and mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of blend films were greatly enhanced due to the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding between SPI and CMKGM. The tensile strength and breaking elongation of blend films increased with the increase of CMKGM content: the maximum values achieved were 54.6 MPa and 37%, respectively, when the CMKGM content was 70 wt %. The water vapor transmission of blend films decreased with the increase of CMKGM content: the lowest value achieved was 74.8 mg · cm^?2 · d^?1 when the CMKGM content was 70 wt %. The SPI–CMKGM blend films provide promising applications to fresh food packaging. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 1095–1099, 2003     

Preparation and characterization of soy protein plastics plasticized with waterborne polyurethane

Utilizing anionic waterborne polyurethane (WPU) as a plasticizer, for the first time, we prepared new soy protein isolate (SPI) plastics. The WPU was prepared by using the emulsion‐extending‐chain method, and mixed with soy protein in aqueous dispersion. The mixture was cast, cured, pickled and hot‐pressed to form SPI plastics plasticized with WPU. The plastics sheets were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet spectrophotometry and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and their properties were measured by using dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile testing. The results revealed that SPI plastics plasticized with WPU possess good mechanical properties, such as a tensile strength (σ_b) of 7–19 MPa, water resistance (σ_b(wet)/σ_b(dry) = 0.4–0.5), optical transmittance and thermal stability, because of the good miscibility and strong interaction between WPU and SPI. With an increase of WPU content from 20 to 50 wt%, the elongation at break (ε_b) value of the sheets increased from 50 up to 150 %, and is much higher than that of the pure SPI sheet. WPU as a plasticizer can play an important role in improving the properties of SPI plastics. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cellulose/chitin films blended in NaOH/urea aqueous solution

Regenerated cellulose/chitin blend films (RCCH) were satisfactorily prepared in 6 wt % NaOH/4 wt % urea aqueous solution by coagulating with 5 wt % CaCl₂ aqueous solution then treating with 1 wt % HCl. The structure, miscibility, and mechanical properties of the RCCH films were investigated by infrared, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopies, X‐ray diffraction, tensile test, and differential scanning analysis. The results indicated that the blends were miscible when the content of chitin was lower than 40 wt %. Moreover, the RCCH blend film achieved the maximum tensile strength in both dry and wet states of 89.1 and 43.7 MPa, respectively, indicating that the tensile strength and water resistivity of the RCCH film containing 10–20 wt % chitin was slightly higher than that of the RC film unblended with chitin. Structural analysis indicated that strong interaction occurred between cellulose and chitin molecules caused by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Compared to the mechanical properties of chitin film, those of the blend films containing 10–50 wt % chitin were significantly improved. This work provided a novel way to obtain directly chitin material blended in the aqueous solution. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1679–1683, 2002     

Dual lamellar crystal structure in poly(vinylidene fluoride)/acrylic rubber blends and its biaxial orientation behavior

The miscibility for melt-mixed poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/acrylic rubber (ACM) blends and the crystal morphology of PVDF in the blends were investigated over the whole composition ranges by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). DMA measurements revealed that PVDF is miscible with ACM in ACM-rich system, and partially miscible in PVDF-rich system. Two kinds of PVDF lamellar structures with different long periods were detected by SAXS and TEM for the partially miscible blends. In the miscible system, only one kind of crystal lamellae with enlarged long period is found. The two kinds of lamellar structures in the blend show different orientation behavior during the uniaxial stretching to result in a biaxial orientation. The lamellae with short long period are oriented vertical to the stretching direction, while those with large long period were found to be oriented parallel to the stretching direction.     

Blend membranes prepared from cellulose and soy protein isolate in NaOH/thiourea aqueous solution

We have successfully prepared a series of blend membranes from cellulose and soy protein isolate (SPI) in NaOH/thiourea aqueous solution by coagulating with 5 wt % H₂SO₄ aqueous solution. The structure and properties of the membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible spectrometry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, and tensile testing. The effects of SPI content (W_SPI) on the structure and properties of the blend membranes were investigated. The results revealed that SPI and cellulose are miscible in a good or a certain extent when the SPI content is less than 40 wt %. The pore structure and properties of the blend membranes were significantly improved by incorporation of SPI into cellulose. With an increase in W_SPI from 10 to 50 wt %, the apparent size of the pore (2r_e) measured by SEM for the blend membranes increased from 115 nm to 2.43 μm, and the pore size (2r_f) measured by the flow rate method increased from 43 to 59 nm. The tensile strength (σ_b) and thermal stability of the blend membranes with lower than 40 wt % of W_SPI are higher than that of the pure cellulose membrane, owing to the strong interaction between SPI and cellulose. The values of tensile strength and elongation at break for the blend membranes with 10 wt % of W_SPI reached 136 MPa and 12%, respectively. The blend membranes containing protein can be used in water because of keeping σ of 10 to 37 MPa. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 748–757, 2004     

Blend membranes from carboxymethylated chitosan/alginate in aqueous solution

The blend membranes were satisfactorily prepared by coagulating a mixture of O‐carboxymethylated chitosan (CM‐chitosan) and alginate in aqueous solution with 5 wt % CaCl₂, and then by treating with 1 wt % HCl aqueous solution. Their structure and miscibility were characterized by scanning electron micrograph, X‐ray diffraction, infrared spectra, differential thermal analysis, and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicated that the blends were miscible, when the weight ratio of CM‐chitosan to alginate was in the range from 1 : 1 to 1 : 5. The polymers interpenetration including a Ca²⁺ crosslinked bridge occurred in the blend membrane, and leads to high separation factor for pervaporation separation of alcohol/water and low permeation. The tensile strength in the wet state (σ_b = 192 kg cm⁻² for CM‐chitosan/alginate 1 : 1) and thermostability of the blend membranes were significantly superior to that of alginic acid membrane, and cellulose/alginate blend membranes, owing to a strong electrostatic interaction caused by —NH₂ groups of CM‐chitosan with —COOH groups of algic acid. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 610–616, 2000     

Biodegradable blends of high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) with poly(3‐hydroxypropionic acid) and poly(3‐hydroxybutyric acid): a miscibility study by DSC,DMTA and NMR spectroscopy

The miscibility of high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) blends with poly(3‐hydroxypropionic acid) and poly(3‐hydroxybutyric acid) (P(3HB)) has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and high‐resolution solid state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The DSC thermal behaviour of the blends revealed that the binary blends of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(3‐hydroxypropionic acid) (OP blends) were miscible over the whole composition range while the miscibility of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyric acid) blends (OB blends) was dependent on the blend composition. OB blends were found to be partly miscible at the middle P(3HB) contents (25 %, 50 %) and miscible at other P(3HB) contents (10 %, 75 % and 90 %). Single‐phase behaviour for OP blends and phase separation behaviour for OB blends were observed from DMTA. The results from NMR spectroscopy revealed that the two components in the OP50 blend were intimately mixed on a scale of about 35 nm, while the domain sizes in the OB blend with a P(3HB) content of 50 % were larger than about 32 nm. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of ionomeric compatibilizers on the morphology and properties of amorphous polyester/polyamide blends

The utilization of sulfonated polyester ionomers as minor‐component compatibilizers in blends of an amorphous polyester and polyamide was investigated. The blends were prepared using twin‐screw extrusion and compared to solution blends to investigate the effect of elevated temperatures and shear mixing on blend miscibility and/or phase behavior. The phase domain sizes of the solution blends with respect to ionomer content were studied using small angle light scattering (SALS) and phase contrast optical microscopy. The thermal and mechanical properties of the extruded blends were investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile testing while the morphology was investigated using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The interactions between the sulfonate group of the ionomer and the polyamide were characterized using FT‐IR spectroscopy. Binary blends of the amorphous polyester and polyamide were immiscible with poor mechanical properties, while blends containing the polyester ionomer as a minor‐component compatibilizer showed a significant reduction in the dispersed domain sizes and enhanced ultimate mechanical properties. The compatibilization mechanism is attributed to specific interactions between the sulfonate groups on the polyester ionomer and the amide groups of the polyamide. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1721–1731, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Preparation and characterization of konjac glucomannan/poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) blend films

A novel preservative film was prepared by blending konjac glucomannan (KGM) and poly (diallydimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) in aqueous system. The effects of PDADMAC content on the miscibility, morphology, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of the blend films were investigated by density determination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile tests. The results of the density determination predicted that the blends of KGM and PDADMAC were miscible when the PDADMAC content was less than 70 wt %. Moreover, SEM and XRD confirmed the result. ATR‐IR showed that strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds interaction occurred between the negative charge groups of KGM and the quaternary ammonium groups of PDADMAC in the blends. The tensile strength and the break elongation of the blends were improved largely to 106.5 MPa and 32.04%, when the PDADMAC content was 20 wt %. The thermal stability of the blends was higher than pure KGM. Results from the film‐coating preservation experiments with lichi and grapes showed that the blend film had excellent water‐holding and preservative ability. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Mechanical properties and biodegradability of crosslinked soy protein isolate/waterborne polyurethane composites

With anionic waterborne polyurethane (WPU) as a plasticizer and ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) as a crosslinker, we successfully prepared crosslinked soy protein isolate (SPI) plastics. Anionic WPU was mixed with SPI and EGDE in an aqueous dispersion at room temperature. The mixed aqueous dispersion was cast and cured, and the obtained material was pickled and hot‐pressed to produce the crosslinked SPI/WPU sheets. The resulting sheets containing about 60 wt % SPI were characterized with infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and tensile testing, and biodegradation testing of the sheets was performed in a mineral salt medium containing microorganisms. The results revealed that the crosslinked SPI/WPU plastics with EGDE concentrations of 2–4 wt % possessed high miscibility, good mechanical properties, and water resistivity. In addition, the crosslinked sheets could be biodegraded, and the half‐life of the biodegradation for a sheet crosslinked with 3 wt % EGDE was calculated to be less than 1 month. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 465–473, 2005     

Miscibility of segmented polyurethane/poly(vinyl chloride) blends

Miscibilities of segmented polyurethanes (SPUs) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) or functionalized poly(vinyl chloride) (FPVC) were studied with dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and X‐ray diffraction. Mechanical properties of the blends were also studied with tensile measurements. The miscibility of the blends depended greatly on the hard‐segment content of SPU and the existence of the functional groups. The combination of SPU with a low hard‐segment content and PVC with functional groups made the blend system miscible. Moreover, controlling the blend composition of SPU/FPVC allowed us to modify the mechanical properties of SPU, where the elongation at break was multiplied without a significant change in its tensile strength. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 3022–3029, 2001     

Fibroin membrane preparation and stabilization by polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether

Membranes prepared by drying aqueous Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) solution and modified silk fibroin (MSF) solutions, prepared by adding the low molecular weight crosslinking agent, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) MW 526, 0–10% w/w, were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Weight gain in aqueous solutions and their mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation, and Young's modulus) were then characterized. SEM measurements revealed greater porosity in MSF membranes. IR spectra showed transformation from the largely α‐helical/random coil structures in SF membranes to predominantly β‐sheet in MSF membranes. Results from UV–vis spectroscopy showed that the MSF membranes were largely insoluble within the pH range of 4–10. Water absorbability of the MSF membranes improved with increasing the amounts of cross‐linker, up to 4%. The MSF membranes showed greater pliability and tenacity, but lower tensile strength, with increasing PEGDE concentrations. In the wet condition, PEGDE levels up to 4% can improve both tensile strength and tenacity of the MSF membrane, but higher levels (up to 10%) did not significantly change these properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008     

Miscibility, free volume behavior and properties of blends from cellulose acetate and castor oil-based polyurethane

A series of blend films from cellulose acetate (CA) and castor oil-based polyurethane (PU) were prepared. Morphology, miscibility, free volume behavior and properties of such blend films were investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), infrared, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), thermogravimetric analysis and tensile test. The results indicated that lager free volume cavities did not form at the interface of two polymers although a certain degree of phase separation was found by the studies of SEM and DSC. Strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions at the interface, which was proved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, favors even better molecular packing, that is, PU dispersed in CA continuous phase to form fine microphase separation domain in the CA-rich blends. Due to such special interactions in the fine microphase separation domain structure, optimized properties of tensile strength, breaking elongation and cold-resistivity were obtained in the blend film with 75 wt% CA. The toughness of all the blend films was significantly higher than that of the film CA, owing to the plasticizing of PU elastomer in the blends.