Influence of the solids content on the properties of waterborne polyurethane dispersions obtained with polycarbonate of hexanediol

Abstract Waterborne polyurethane adhesives are an interesting alternative to the current solvent-borne polyurethane adhesives used in the industry. Different aliphatic waterborne polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) with different solids content were synthesised by reacting isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with a polycarbonate derived from hexanediol via the acetone method. The PUDs were characterised by Brookfield viscosity, pH, particle size, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and solids content measurement. The dry polyurethane films were characterised by ATR-IR spectroscopy, plate–plate rheology, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetry (TGA). Their adhesion was evaluated from T-peel tests of flexible PVC/waterborne polyurethane dispersion/flexible PVC joints and single lap-shear tests of aluminium/waterborne polyurethane dispersion/aluminium joints. The PUDs showed bimodal particle size distribution. The mean particle size of the PUDs decreased by increasing their solids content but the particle size distribution of the PUDs increased by decreasing their solids content. As the solids content increased the Brookfield viscosity of the PUDs increased due to lower mean particle size where particle crowding was favoured, the PUD having 44 wt% solids content was an exception (higher particle size but lower polydispersity). On the other hand, the increase in the solids content increased the hard segments content and the degree of phase separation of the polyurethanes. The greater the solids content of the polyurethanes, the lower their glass transition temperatures values and the lower the elastic moduli. Adhesive strength under peel stresses were not affected by the solids content in the polyurethanes but the single lap-shear strength values decreased by increasing the solid contents in the polyurethanes due to lower hard segments content.