| Abstract: | Aqueous poly(urethane–urea) dispersions were prepared from polycaprolactone diol, α,α,α′,α′‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐xylylene diisocyanate (m‐TMXDI) and α,α‐dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) using a prepolymer mixing process. In the process, polyurethane prepolymers were neutralised with triethylamine and the chains extended in water with either hydrazine, 1,2‐ethylene diamine or 1,2‐propylene diamine. For comparison, some samples were prepared from a more commonly used diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI). Dispersion characteristics and basic structure–property relationships of the cast films were determined. m‐TMXDI provided some advantages over IPDI in the preparations since its use gave lower prepolymer viscosities and better resistance to elevated temperatures. Films prepared from m‐TMXDI dispersions exhibited considerably lower values of Young's modulus and hardness and higher elongations at break than those prepared from IPDI‐based dispersions for analogous compositions, whereas differences in the average particle sizes or viscosities of the dispersions were only small. When the DMA content was varied, the dispersions and cast films of m‐TMXDI‐based systems showed similar changes as are known to occur in IPDI‐based systems: as the DMPA content was increased, the average particle size of the dispersions decreased and the viscosity increased, and for the cast films, the Young's modulus and tensile strength increased and the maximum elongation at break decreased. Changing the chain‐extension agent from hydrazine to 1,2‐ethylene diamine, to 1,2‐propylene diamine and had little effect on the particle size of the dispersions, but increased the Young's modulus and hardness of the respective cast films. Molar masses of the chain‐extended polymers were unexpectedly low. DSC analysis of cast films indicated that the degree of crystallisation of the soft or hard domains was low. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry |
