Polyether based thermoplastic polyurethaneurea (TPU)/silica nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. Poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol (PTMO-2000) based TPU with 20% urea hard segment content was synthesized and used for the current study. Silica nanoparticles were prepared according to St�ber method in 2-propanol. Thermal and mechanical properties of novel PTMO-base TPU/silica nanocomposites with silica loadings of 1-40% by weight and with average silica sizes of 20-180 nm at constant loading % were determined. The effects of (i) amount of silica loading and (ii) size of silica on thermal and mechanical properties of the resultant thermoplastic nanocomposites were investigated by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy techniques, and stress-strain and nanoindentation tests. It was shown that even distribution of silica in PTMO-based TPU polymers influenced the thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites with respect to both filler content and filler size. Incorporation of silica nanoparticles with lower particle size provided higher modulus and tensile strength and led to a stiffer structure of TPU/silica nanocomposites while retaining their elastomeric properties.

PTMO based TPU/silica nanocomposites: Preparation and properties

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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