Synthesis and Characterization of a Nonionic Urethane-Based Thickener ‎

Hydrophobically modified ‎ethoxylated urethanes have been ‎synthesized using polyethylene ‎glycol, hexamethylene ‎diisocyanate and cetyl alcohol. ‎These types of thickeners are ‎categorized as nonionic ‎associative thickeners. The HEURs ‎were prepared in two steps. ‎Initially an ethoxylated urethane ‎prepolymer was synthesized ‎through a reaction between a ‎polyethylene glycol (Mn=6000) ‎and hexamethylene diisocyanate ‎using the step growth ‎polymerization technique, then ‎modification was carried out by ‎reaction of cetyl alcohol with the ‎obtained prepolymer. HEURs were ‎characterized using 1H NMR, ‎FTIR and GPC techniques. The ‎rheological properties of ‎incorporated samples in different ‎media proved the considerable ‎thickening efficiency of the ‎produced HEUR