Biodegradable polymer composites based on polyurethane and microcrystalline cellulose

Polymer composites based on an urethane-containing polymer as a matrix and microcrystalline cellulose as a filler were prepared by the method of reaction molding. The specific features of intermolecular interactions in the resulting composites, their structure, and thermal hydrolytic stability in neutral, alkaline, and acid media were studied by IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and DSC. It was shown that the maximum compatibility of the system components (because of physical intermolecular interactions) is observed for composites containing up to 20 wt % cellulose. Systems with a cellulose content of 30 and 40 wt % show microphase separation of the components with the formation of a polymer blend, It was established that the resulting composites are capable of environmental biodegradation.