Study on the synthesis and on supermolecular structures of a water-dilutable urethane-acrylic copolymer applicable as a binder for powdered Al2O3

The findings were presented from the study on supermolecular structures which form spontaneously on the surface of a solidified urethane-acrylic copolymer that reveals the nature of anionomer. The isocyanate prepolymer was synthesised in the polyaddition process of 2,4- and 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), polycaprolactone diol (PCD) and 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid, and then in the reaction with 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate and 1,6-hexamethylenediamine (HMDA). At the final stage, thus, obtained urethane-acrylic macro-anionomer (UAMA) was subjected to free-radical emulsion copolymerisation with methyl acrylate and butyl acrylate to produce the aqueous emulsion of graft polyurethane-polyacrylic copolymer. ze exclusion chromatography (SEC) method was used to evaluate distribution of molecular weights in the obtained copolymer before its cross-linking in air. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) methods were employed to analyse complexity of supermolecular structures within the soft and hard domains. Also, dispersion in the continuous phase of the domains which could be observed on the surface was assessed by means of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) method. fects of chemical structures were discussed on diversified supermolecular structures formed spontaneously on the surface of hardened copolymer, and the resultant consequences were analysed for applicability of the produced polymer hybrids as efficient binders for powdered ceramic materials, inclusive of the most widely employed Al2O3.