Structure-property relationship of castor oil-based PU-PBMA interpenetrating polymer networks

Castor oil-based polyurethane (PU) and polybutyl methacrylate (PBMA) interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) (PU/PBMA; 80/20, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60 and 20/80) have been prepared by sequential polymerization. The prepared IPNs have been characterized by physico-mechanical and optical properties. The thermal behaviour of IPNs were performed using thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA). TGA thermogram shows that the thermal degradation of PU-PBMA IPN was found to proceed in three different steps. The microcrystalline parameters such as crystal size ((N)) and lattice disorder (g) of lPNs have been estimated using wide angle X-ray scattering studies (WAXS), and quantification of the polymer network has been carried on the basis of these parameters.