Characterization and mechanical properties of prepolymer and polyurethane block copolymer with a shape memory effect

The prepolymer and the final polyurethane (PU) block copolymer were synthesized by reacting 4,4-methylene bis(phenylisocyanate) with poly(tetramethylene glycol) and the prepolymer with 1,4-butanediol as a chain extender, respectively, to investigate the relation between phase separation and it’s resulting properties. According to FT-IR data, the phase separation of hard and soft segments in the prepolymer and the PU block copolymer grew bigger by increasing the hard segment content, and the PU showed more dominant phase separation than the prepolymer. The heat of fusion due to soft segments decreased in both the prepolymer and the PU by increasing the hard segment content, whereas the heat of fusion due to hard segments increased in the PU did not appear in the prepolymers. The breaking stress and modulus of the prepolymer increased by increasing the hard segment content, and the elongation at break decreased gradually, and the PU showed the highest breaking stress and modulus at 58 % hard segment content. However, the best shape recovery of the PU was obtained at 47 % hard segment content due to the existence of proper interaction among the hard segments for shape memory effect. Consequently, the mechanical properties and shape memory effect of the PU were influenced by the degree of phase separation, depending on the incorporation of chain extender as well as the hard segment content.