Water resistance of the membranes for UV curable waterborne polyurethane dispersions

The water absorption of the membranes made from UV curable waterborne polyurethane dispersions (UV-PUDs) was investigated systematically and correlated with the nature of the polymer and its gel content after curing. It was found that the water absorption of the membranes was reduced significantly by using polyester polyols, reducing the COOH content and increasing the gel content through a higher C=C level. In particular, the membranes made from polyurethanes having hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) or modified with dihydroxybutyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) presented a superior water resistance. The results showed a linear relationship between the water absorption and the surface tension of the membrane. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.