Surface contamination resulting from a toxic chemical release poses significant risk to first responders as well as proximate civilians. Recent progress in self-decontaminating coatings has demonstrated the potential for coating surfaces to automatically degrade harmful chemicals upon contact. Herein, additives developed to impart self-decontaminating capability to polyurethane polymer matrices are discussed. Specifically, synthetic modification of additives based organic and organometallic actives resulted in surface segregating molecules which effectively reduced the required additive loading concentration while maintaining desired decontamination ability. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties were incorporated into both classes of additive to result in series of additives across a wide amphiphilic range. Effects on physical properties from additive incorporation into commercial polyurethane coatings were investigated by DSC, ATR, contact angle, and confocal laser microscopy. Surface segregating capabilities were analyzed and loading concentrations were optimized for maximum contaminant degradation. Furthermore, potential degradation pathways deduced from contaminant challenge by-product analyses are discussed.

Surface segregating coating additives for self-decontamination applications

2019 Fall National Meeting

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