Water-based polyurethane ionomers which have been successfully synthesized at our lab are demonstrated to be polypropylene glycol-based polyurethane ionomers by FT-IR spectra. For polyurethane ionomers prepared at a fixed ratio of NCO to OH as a function of ionic content, their viscosities are seen to be higher for polypropylene glycol with molecular weight of 1500(triols) than for polypropylene glycol with molecular weight of 1000 (diols) or 2000 diols based polyurethane ionomers, as a result of strong intra ionic chain interaction. On the other hand, the viscosities due to strong inter chain interaction appear to be higher for polypropylene glycol with molecular weight of 1000 than for polypropylene glycol with molecular weight of 1500 or 2000-based polyurethane ionomers made at a fixed ionic content and under the variation of the ratio of NCO/OH. Like surfactant, poly-propylene glycol-based polyurethane ionomers present in water can substantially reduce the surface tension of water. Thus, it may be considered as an ionomer-like surfactant.
