Reactive processing of acrylic–polyurea interpenetrating networks: reaction kinetic studies

✍ Scribed by John L Stanford; Anthony J Ryan; Ying Yang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 267 KB
• Volume: 50
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0959-8103
• DOI: 10.1002/pi.735

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Interpenetrating networks (IPNs), comprising a crosslinked acrylic polymer as one component and either a polyurea, a segmented copolyurea or a copoly(urea–isocyanurate) as the other component, have been formed by reaction injection moulding (RIM). The effects on the processability and the formation of the IPNs of (i) the crosslinker concentration in the acrylic component, (ii) the functionality of the amine‐functionalized polyether used for the polyurea, and (iii) the weight fractions of acrylic components are evaluated. Reaction kinetics during RIM processing of the IPNs are studied using adiabatic temperature rise (ATR) measurements. The macroscopic structures of RIM materials, determined via optical microscopy, are used to assess the mixing characteristics operative during reactive processing of the various IPNs. The results are interpreted in terms of differences in the rates of polymerization and in the solubilities of the acrylic‐ and polyurea‐forming components.

© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry