Using carbon dioxide-based poly(propylene ether carbonate) diol (PPCD), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dimethylolbutyric acid (DMBA), ferric chloride (FeCl3), and ethylene glycol (EG) as the main raw materials, a novel thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is prepared through coordination of FeCl3 and DMBA to obtain TPU containing coordination enhancement directly. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H NMR, gel permeation chromatography, UV-Vis spectroscopy, tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis were explored to characterize chemical structures and mechanical properties of as-prepared TPU. With the increasing addition of FeCl3, the tensile strength and modulus of TPU increase. Although the elongation at break decreases, it still maintains a high level. Dynamic mechanical analysis shows that the glass-transition temperature moves to a high temperature gradually along with the increasing addition of FeCl3. X-ray diffraction results indicate that TPUs reinforced with FeCl3 or not are amorphous polymers. That FeCl3 coordinates with DMBA first is an effective strategy of getting TPU, which is effective and convenient in the industry without the separation of intermediate products. This work confirms that such Lewis acids as FeCl3 can improve and adjust the properties of TPU contenting coordination structures with an in-situ reaction in a low addition amount, which expands their applications in industry and engineering areas.
Keywords: coordination enhancement; in-situ reaction; isophorone diisocyanate; poly(propylene ether carbonate) diol; thermoplastic polyurethane.