The Influence of Nanofiller Shape and Nature on the Functional Properties of Waterborne Poly(urethane-urea) Nanocomposite Films

Abstract

A series of waterborne polycarbonate-based poly(urethane-urea) nanocomposite films were prepared and characterized. An isocyanate excess of 30 mol% with respect to the hydroxyl groups was used in the procedure, omitting the chain-extension step of the acetone process in the dispersion preparation. The individual steps of the synthesis of the poly(urethane-urea) matrix were followed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The nanofillers (1 wt% in the final nanocomposite) differed in nature and shape. Starch, graphene oxide and nanocellulose were used as representatives of organic nanofillers, while halloysite, montmorillonite, nanosilica and hydroxyapatite were used as representatives of inorganic nanofillers. Moreover, the fillers differed in their shape and average particle size. The films were characterized by a set of methods to obtain the tensile, thermal and surface properties of the nanocomposites as well as the internal arrangement of the nanoparticles in the nanocomposite film. The degradation process was evaluated at 37 °C in a H2O2 + CoCl2 solution.