Synthesis and characterization of poly(urethane‐ester)s based on calcium salt of mono(hydroxybutyl)phthalate

Calcium‐containing poly(urethane‐ester)s (PUEs) were prepared by reacting diisocyanate (HMDI or TDI) with a mixture of calcium salt of mono(hydroxybutyl)phthalate [Ca(HBP)₂] and hydroxyl‐terminated poly(1,4‐butylene glutarate) [HTPBG₁₀₀₀], using di‐n‐butyltin‐dilaurate as catalyst. About six calcium‐containing PUEs having different composition were synthesized by taking the mole ratio of Ca(HBP)₂:HTPBG₁₀₀₀:diisocyanate (HMDI or TDI) as 3:1:4, 2:2:4, and 1:3:4. Two blank PUEs were synthesized by the reaction of HTPBG₁₀₀₀ with diisocyanate (HMDI or TDI). The polymers were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, Solid state ¹³C‐CP‐MAS NMR, TGA, DSC, XRD, solubility, and viscosity studies. The T_g value of PUEs increases with increase in the calcium content and decreases with increase in soft segment content. The viscosity of the calcium‐containing PUEs increases with increase in the soft segment content and decreases with increase in the calcium content. X‐ray diffraction patterns of the polymers show that the HMDI‐based polymers are partially crystalline and TDI‐based polymers are amorphous in nature. The dynamic mechanical analysis of the calcium‐containing PUEs based on HMDI shows that with increase in the calcium content of polymer, modulus (g′ and g″) increases at any given temperature. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1720–1727, 2006