Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite polyurethane

Polyurethane/nanosilica composites were prepared using polyester polyol/nanosilica composite resins obtained from in situ polymerization or blending methods and investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. It was found that more polyester segments had chemically bonded with silica particles during in situ polymerization than during blending, introducing nanosilica increased the Tgs of polyurethanes, and different preparation methods and different particle sizes caused various impact on Tg. Contact angle measurement and XPS analyses indicated that nanosilica tended to move towards the surfaces and interfaces of polyurethane coats, decreasing the free energies of the surfaces and interfaces, but the nanosilica particles were just observed at interfaces not surfaces by AFM. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.