Formulate extremely durable Polyurethane elastomers
Formulating the right Polyurethane elastomers that can resist to extreme environmental conditions such as high and low temperatures, humidity, stain and chemical aggressions while ensuring durable high performance is a challenge.
Polycarbonate Diols (PCD) and Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers offer customizable possibilities with superior and long-term retention of designed performances, without modification of initial properties after being exposed in harsh environments.
The outstanding durability of Polyurethane elastomers based on PCD or Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers is obtained thanks to different performances, such as:
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Access more information about the best-in-class performances of Polycarbonate Diol-based Polyurethane elastomers, click on the pictures below:
Excellent water resistance of Polyurethane elastomers
Polycarbonate Diols (PCD) and Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers allow formulators to provide extremely durable Polyurethane elastomers thanks to increased resistance to water / hydrolysis.
Figure 1 shows that water absorption is less important (-52%) for Polyurethane elastomers based on Polycarbonate Diols and Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers.
This leads to minor weight increment and better resistance to hydrolysis than Polyurethane based on benchmark Diols.
Figure 1: Water absorption of Diol-based PU
Therefore, Polyurethane elastomers formulated with Eternacoll® polycarbonate diols or Eternathane® polycarbonate-based polyurethane prepolymers withstand
extreme humid conditions and remain intact after long-term exposure to water and humidity.
Increased chemical & stain resistance of Polyurethane elastomers
Exposure to harsh solvents and fluids tends to damage materials over time, causing them to fade, discolor and get stained.
Polycarbonate Diols and Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers can help you to overcome this annoying constraint by enhancing the chemical and stain resistance of your Polyurethane elastomers.
Chemical resistance
An ethanol resistance test was run in order to compare the chemical resistance of Diol-based Polyurethanes (see picture 1).
As illustrated on Figure 2, Polyurethane formulated with Eternacoll® or Eternathane® shows an improved resistance to harsh solvents compared to Polyurethane based on benchmark Diols.
Picture 1: Ethanol resistance test of
PCD-based PU materials
ISO 2812-1:2007
Determination of resistance to liquids
Part 1: Immersion in liquids other than water
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Figure 2: Ethanol resistance of Diol-based PU
*5 = Intact material after exposure
4 = Slight change in gloss or color
3 = Light mark
2 = Strong mark
1 = Material removal
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The use of Eternacoll® or Eternathane® in your Polyurethane formulations allows you to provide highly durable Polyurethane elastomers that can better resist to exposure of chemicals.
This makes Eternacoll® or Eternathane® suitable for applications in which Polyurethane elastomers have to resist to very harsh environmental conditions, such as oil & mining pipes inner cast.
Stain resistance
Last but not least, Polycarbonate Diols and Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymer also have the advantage of providing an outstanding stain resistance to Polyurethane-based materials.
Picture 2: Stain resistance of Diol-based PU materials
High thermal stability of Polyurethane elastomers
If temperature resistance is a must-have for your Polyurethane elastomers and if you can’t afford to provide Polyurethane that tends to yellowish over time, then Polycarbonate Diols or Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymer is the technology you have always been looking for!
Polycarbonate Diols or Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymer provide a very high thermal stability to Polyurethane elastomers compared to traditional Polyester and Polyether Diols, thanks to excellent heat resistance.
Figure 3 illustrates that Eternacoll® PCD has a very low increment of yellowness index after artificial weathering compared to standard Polyether and Polyester Diols.
Figure 3: Increment of yellowness index of Diols-based PU
ISO 3248:1998 - Measurements after 15 days at 120° C
Figure 4 and Picture 3 illustrate the excellent retention of initial Polyurethane properties of Eternacoll® based Polyurethane after heat ageing, for an improved durability of your elastomers!
Figure 4: Retention* of hardness Persoz
ISO 1522:2007 - Pendulum damping test
*Retention = (property after ageing)/(initial property) x 100
Eternacoll® UH100
based PUD
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PPG-based PUD
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Polyadipate of 1,6-hexanediol
based PUD
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| Picture 3: Pictures of Diol-based PU materials after heat exposition |
Therefore, Eternacoll® Polycarbonate Diols or Eternathane® Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymer allow to provide highly durable Polyurethane elastomers that resist to heat and can be used for applications exposed to high temperatures.
Improved mechanical properties of Polyurethane elastomers
Formulating Polyurethane with Polycarbonate Diols or Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymer maximizes the performance of elastomer formulations. How?
Polyurethane based on Eternacoll® or Eternathane® shows better mechanical properties compared to Polyurethane based on traditional Diols:
- The Polyurethane elastomer has a better tensile strength (+329%) and is therefore less elastic (Figure 5)
- It also shows a better hardness (+173%), as illustrated on Figure 6
Figure 5: Tensile strength of Diol-based PU |
Figure 6: Hardness of Diol-based PU |
The improvement of mechanical properties allows you to provide a Polyurethane which is less elastic and shows a better hardness, for highly durable materials!
Increased scratch & abrasion resistance of Polyurethane elastomers
Polyurethane elastomers formulated with Polycarbonate Diols show increased abrasion and scratch resistance, and are therefore more durable than the ones formulated with standard Diols.
Abrasion resistance
Figure 7 shows that Polyurethane based on Eternacoll® Polycarbonate Diols loses less volume when exposed to harsh conditions than Polyurethane based on traditional Diols, and has therefore a better resistance to abrasion:
Figure 7: Abrasion resistance (Volume Loss of material) of
Diol-based PU when exposed to harsh conditions
Results were similar with Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers.
Scratch resistance
Scratch resistance of PCD-based Polyurethane has been tested thanks to the determination of film hardness with pencil test.
Figure 8 illustrates that Polyurethane elastomers based on Eternacoll® PCD have a higher hardness and therefore an increased scratch resistance than benchmark Diols.
Results were similar with Polycarbonate-based Polyurethane Prepolymers.
Figure 8: Conditions of Pencil test - Determination of film hardness
ISO 15184:1998
The use of Polycarbonate Diols such as Eternacoll® or Eternathane® polycarbonate-based polyurethane prepolymers allows to develop extremely durable Polyurethane elastomers that can resist to intense environmental conditions.