Properties and interfacial bonding for regenerated cellulose–polyurethane/amylose acetate sipn composite films

Abstract Composite films were obtained by placing a polyurethane/amylose acetate semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN) coating onto the surfaces of regenerated cellulose (RC) film. The properties of the composite film, such as tensile strength, 79.9 MPa (in dry state), 49.5 MPa (in wet state), water resistance (R), 0.62, dimensional stability (S_c), 3.0%, and water vapor permeability (P), 5.96 × 10⁻⁵ Kgm⁻²h⁻¹, are better than those of the uncoated RC film or RC film with PU coating. The interfacial strength was characterized with infrared spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results showed the existence of covalent and hydrogen bonds between the SIPN coat layer and the RC layer. It was also found that the PU prepolymer in the coating layer penetrated into the cellulose bulk, and reacted with the cellulose molecules, which formed another SIPN.