Degradation studies on segmented polyurethanes prepared with poly (D, L-lactic acid) diol, hexamethylene diisocyanate and different chain extenders

In order to investigate the effect of different chain extenders on degradation properties of segmented polyurethanes (SPUs), three types of segmented polyurethanes (SPU-P. SPU-O and SPU-A) based on poly (D, L-lactic acid) diol, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), were synthesized with three chain extenders: peperazine (PP), 1, 4-butanediol (BDO) and 1, 4-butanediamine (BDA), respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis, activation energy and in vitro degradation were used to characterize the obtained polymers, quantitatively. The results revealed that chain extender played an important role in thermal degradation and biodegradation of polyurethanes. Thermogravimetric analysis and activation energy demonstrated that SPU-O, SPU-P and SPU-A presented best, second and weakest thermostability, respectively, and the thermal degradation mechanism of three SPUs was the same and regarded as a two-stage degradation. Data of hydrolytic degradation of the polymers during 12 weeks indicated that the in vitro degradation stability of SPU-A and SPU-P was similar, but both were better than that of SPU-O. The reason for the differences among three types of SPUs was discussed in this paper. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.