Effect of the long chain extender on the properties of linear and castor oil cross-linked PEG-based polyurethane elastomers

Polyurethane (PU) elastomers were elaborated from polyethylene glycol of high molecular weight (MW = 4,000), 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol (PEG₁₅₀₀) (MW = 1,500) as a long linear chain extender and/or castor oil as a cross-linker and were obtained in the form of transparent films. These poly(ether urethanes) elastomers are obtained by replacing the short-chain diol monomers with high molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEG₁₅₀₀). High molecular weight polyethylene glycol (MW = 4,000 and 1,500, respectively) have greater chain length thus producing networks with lower cross-linking densities and higher average molecular weight between two consecutive cross-links. The PU properties were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, mechanical analysis and thermogravimetry. The results showed that the prepared polyurethanes (PUs) had very good tensile properties. The stress–strain data show that the PU elastomers obtained using a 60/40% OH_PEG1500/OH_{castor oil} ratio have the best mechanical properties. The thermal degradation of the castor oil cross-linked PU elastomers starts at 280–300 °C, compared to the thermal degradation of linear PUs which begins at 220 °C. During storage at 25 °C, the morphology and mechanical properties of the elastomer films have been observed to change in time.