Helical polyurethane-imide@attapulgite composite: Preparation, characterization and infrared emissivity study

Abstract Helical polyurethane-imide@attapulgite (HPUI@ATT) composite has been successfully prepared based on the surface modification of attapulgite (ATT). The results indicate that helical polyurethane-imide has been grafted onto the surfaces of the modified ATT without destroying the original crystalline structure of ATT. The infrared emissivity of HPUI@ATT was also investigated, and the result indicates that the infrared emissivity value of HPUI@ATT composite is reduced to 0.628 at the wavelength of 8–14 μm, while the bare ATT possesses a value of 0.934. This effect could be attributed to the interfacial interactions between organics (helical polyurethane-imide) and inorganics (ATT). This paper will provide the foundation for many potential applications such as infrared low-emissive materials and other fields in the future.