Curing behavior and mechanical behavior of fully and semi-interpenetrating polymer networks based on polyurethane and acrylics

Polyurethane (PU) was made by reacting stoichiometric equivalent of trimethylol propane (TMP) and desmodur L. Fully interpenetrating polymer networks (fully IPN's) of various compositions based on PU and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) were prepared by blending various ratios of PU/PEGDA, and cured by benzoyl peroxide (BPO). Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks based on PU and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether of acrylate (PEGMEA) were prepared in a similar way. Shift of exothermic peaks during IPN formation were examined with dynamic DSC. Viscosity increases were investigated with a Brookfield RVT type viscometer. Dynamic mechanical properties were probed via a rheometric dynamic spectroscopy (RDS).Expermintal results revealed a good compatibility of both IPN systems, as evidenced from the single damping peak of the RDS curves for each composition. Shifts of exothermic peaks to higher temperatures during the formation of fully IPN were observed, especially for the composition of PU/PEGDA = 50/50, which showed an exothermic peak at the highest temperature. Experimental results also revealed delayed viscosity increases and decreased gel fractions for all fully IPN's. On the contrary, the semi-IPN did not exhibibt similar phenomena. All these findings supported an effect of network interlock during fully IPN formation. The existence of a network not only provided a sterically hindered environment, but also restrained the chain mobility of the growing network, and vice versa, thus retarding the curing rates of both networks. Network interlock also broadened the width of the half damping peak, T_1/2, and subsequently led to improved mechanical properties such as the impact resistance and Young's modulus of fully IPN material.