Journal of Supercritical Fluids, Vol.13, No.1, 127-134, 1998
Formation of fluoroether polyurethanes in CO2
The phase behavior of mixtures of liquid carbon dioxide and fluoroether polyurethane precursors was observed at 293 K. Fluorolink T, a tetrafunctional, hydroxyl-tenninated fluorinated polyether (M-W=2300) was miscible in all proportions with CO2 at pressures above 39.8 MPa. Fluorolink D, a difunctional, hydroxyl-tenninated fluorinated polyether (M-W=2000) was miscible in all proportions with CO2 at pressures above 13.4 MPa. Fluorolink B, a difunctional, isocyanate-terminated fluorinated polyether (M-W=3000) was completely miscible with CO2 at pressures above 25.2 MPa. Polymerization reactions of the polyurethane precursors Fluorolink B and T were performed in liquid CO2 at 42.2 MPa to ensure that the reaction would initially occur in a single phase. Dibutyltin dilaurate exhibited enough CO2-solubility to be used as the catalyst. The reactions were conducted for 24 h. The resultant polyurethane was completely soluble in the single, CO2-rich phase at total initial precursor concentrations up to 4 wt%. A carbon dioxide-rich fluid and a polyurethane-rich liquid coexisted at initial precursor concentrations of 5-38 wt%. A single, polyurethane-rich liquid phase occurred at initial precursor concentrations of 39-50 wt%. Upon completion of these reactions, the removal of the carbon dioxide via depressurization yielded an elastomeric polyurethane product.