Properties of waterborne polyurethane chemically modified composite materials and their application in gushing water protection

Abstract

The absence of organic solutions during the preparation of waterborne polyurethane has resulted in a decline in its overall performance. To address this issue, this study introduces nano zirconia as a modifier to enhance the properties of the polyurethane material. A novel composite material combining waterborne polyurethane and zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) was proposed, and its performance was experimentally analyzed. The particle size of ZrO2@CA is as high as 80 nm, which exceeds the 23 nm of ZrO2@MA and the 21 nm of ZrO2@AA. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the emulsion droplets in the composite lotion exhibit excellent spherical uniformity and dispersion. Moreover, there is not a significant difference in size between composite lotions with different zirconia contents. Remarkably, even with a zirconia content of only 0.5 wt%, the specimen exhibits high mechanical properties, with the tensile strength increasing from 11.9 MPa to 14.3 MPa and the elongation at break increasing from 560% to 712%. Additionally, a higher doping amount of ZrO2 leads to an increased water absorption rate, with the actual water absorption rate rising from 7% to 14.4%. In practical engineering projects A and B, the initial water output of four holes in engineering A is maintained at 48–580 m3/h. However, as time progresses, the water output gradually decreases, approaching 0 m3/h. In project B, the composite material coating exhibits a tensile strength greater than 15 MPa, reaching 18.26 MPa, which significantly surpasses the performance of the comparison material. Overall, the composite materials demonstrate excellent mechanical and water protection properties, proving to be crucial for practical water inrush protection applications.