Properties and Morphology of Segmented Copoly(ether urea)s with Uniform Hard Segments

Abstract

Block copoly(ether urea)s with uniform hard blocks consisting of two urea groups possess appealing elastomeric properties. The crystal structure of a model bisurea illustrates the formation of long stacks of hydrogen-bonded urea groups. Thermal analysis of these polymers demonstrates the reversible melting of the hard blocks, causing the material to flow. The low glass transition temperature ensures excellent low-temperature flexibility. The morphology of the material consists of long stacks of associated hard blocks embedded in the soft phase. Elongation of the materials demonstrates their highly elastic behavior, with a strain at break ranging from 1000 to 2100%. During tensile testing, irreversible deformation and reorganization of the hard blocks occur, resulting in a significant amount of tensile set. These well-defined polymers proved to be superior compared to a less-defined analogue having a polydisperse hard block.