Structure, thermal stability and mechanical properties of polyurethanes based on glycolysate from polyurethane foam waste, prepared with use of 1,6-hexanediol as a glycol

Abstract

The glycolysis of polyurethane foam waste with use of (MDI) and 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) results in glycolysate with hydroxyl end groups and viscosity allowing the further processing. Polyurethanes (PUR) were synthesized by prepolymer method from diphenylmethane diisocyanate and glycolysate and then the chain of obtained diisocyanate prepolymer was extended with 1,4-butanediol (BDO), ethylene glycol (GE) or HDO (Table 1). FTIR spectra of PUR samples (Fig. 1) as well as gaseous products of their decomposition at temp, up to 609°C (Fig. 3 and 4, Table 2) were analyzed in detail. Thermal stability of PUR has been determined by thermogravimetry (Fig. 2). At temperature about 320°C weight loss equals 5 %. Tensile properties (Table 3), abrasion and density of PUR were also characterized.