Thermoplastic polyurethane film performance improvement by incorporation of furfuryl alcohol and polydimethylsiloxane

Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) films, widely used in industry and domestic, are required to have self/ stimulate-healing ability and multifunction to achieve its recycling usage and adapt complex environment. Herein, the novel TPUs (PDMS/FA-PUDAs) were prepared by incorporation of biomass furfuryl alcohol (FA) and non-toxic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through classic polymerization route accompanied by Diels-Alder (DA) reaction. This study investigated the combined effect of DA/rDA reaction and PDMS on improving TPU films' stimulate-healing, mechanical and anti-adhesion properties by adjusting PDMS additive amount. The experimental results demonstrated that 10 wt% PDMS and FA modified TPU film (10 % PDMS/FA-PUDA) still remained high stimulate-healing efficiency (73.48 %) after three times repair process, owing to the DA/rDA reaction was reversible between FA and bismaleimide (BMI). Besides, 10 % PDMS/FA-PUDA had superior pristine mechanical properties (Ts: 72.06 MPa, Eb: 162.45 %, Tt: 10.89 MJ/m(3)) because PDMS promoted the formation of microphase separation structure. Moreover, the film surface presented low surface free energy (16.79 mJ/m(2)) and satisfactory anti-adhesion behavior ascribed to the hydrophobicity of PDMS. This investigation might give a new perspective for designing multifunctional TPU using renewable and non-toxic materials.

Automated summary

In this study, novel TPUs (PDMS/FA-PUDAs) were prepared by incorporating biomass furfuryl alcohol (FA) and non-toxic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through classic polymerization route accompanied by Diels-Alder (DA) reaction. The experimental results showed that the addition of 10% PDMS and FA modified TPU film exhibited high stimulate-healing efficiency and superior mechanical properties and anti-adhesion behavior. This investigation provides a new perspective for designing multifunctional TPUs using renewable and non-toxic materials.