Synthesis and characterization of Polyurethane-Urea elastomer with dianiline chain extender

Polyurethanes are an important and versatile class of polymeric materials that find applications in different areas requiring properties such as excellent abrasion resistance,flexibility, damping ability, strengths and elasticity [1]. The majority of polyurethane elastomers is, however, based ondiisocyanates, long chain components such as polyesters and polyethers, and on short chain difunctional (or multifunctional) alcohols or amines, which act as chainextenders[2-3]. The type and structure of the chain extender has a significant effect on properties and morphology ofpolyurethane elastomers. Several studies have reported thatchain extender properties, such as the chain length, molecular volume and functionality can influence hard segment packingand crystallinity in the hard domains [4-6]. In this study a polyurethane pre-polymer based on polycaprolactone diol and4, 4 -diphenyl methane diisocyanate(MDI) were synthesized and extended with a diamine such as: 4,4 -ethylenebis(2,6-diethylaniline). Prepared polymer was characterized and evaluated by IR and NMR spectroscopy