High Perfomance TPU And Its Nanocomposites

Polyurethanes are versatile materials, which can be used in a wide range of applications. They can possess numerous properties that may lie anywhere between elastomers and plastics. Depending on the choice of processes for the synthesis of these materials, polyurethanes can be achieved with a wide variety of properties. However its low thermal stability and thermal conductivity, as for most polymeric materials, limits the application of their end products to areas where these two properties are not of great importance. In order to improve the thermal properties of polyurethane based on two diisocyanates, an attempt was made to incorporate inorganic nano filler into the polymer matrix. In order to maintain the simplicity and low cost of the production process, a relatively cost effective filler material was chosen; nano aluminum oxide. It was incorporated in the polyurethane matrix in two different ways:via mechanical mixing and via synthesis. In order to obtain better dispersion within the polymer matrix, the inorganic filler was modified with the silane coupling agent. In summary, this work is concerned with the preparation of filled and non filled polyurethanes. This was carried out primarily with the aim in understanding the properties of these materials; and the dependence of these properties on the processing parameters. The experiments carried out show that a nano-Al2O3 filled polyurethane composite possessing improved thermal conductivity alongside partially preserved mechanic-physical properties can be achieved with:a 5% nano-filler loading, processing via mechanical mixing and with the addition 5% silane coupling agent KH550.