Preparation of epoxy/urethane graft interpenetrating polymer networks and study of mechanical, thermal and morphological properties

This paper describes the preparation of Epoxy/Urethane (EP/PU) graft interpenetrating polymer networks (g-IPNs) and investigates the effect of EP/PU weight ratio and urethane's prepolymer molecular weight on the mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of the IPN system. Here, g-IPN was prepared by thorough mixing of an isocyanate-terminated urethane prepolymer with an epoxy resin followed by simultaneous curing of the resins. Polytetra hydrofuranate (PTHF), molecular weights (Mw) 1000, 2000 and 3000 g/gmol, was used to prepare urethane prepolymers. EP/PU weight ratios were 75/25, 50/50, 30/70 and 15/85. Disappearance of epoxide and isocyanate functional groups was followed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), showing curing of the resins. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the IPNs. Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA), tensile measurements and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to study thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of the prepared systems. The best mechanical properties were obtained at EP/PU weight ratio 75/25 which also shows a fine and uniformly dispersed morphology. Moreover, at this ratio, with increasing PTHF Mw in the urethane prepolymer, the mechanical properties were improved whereas a decrease was observed in Tg and thermal degradation temperature of g-IPNs.