European Commission
INCO-COPERNICUS PROJECT
Contract number: IC-15-CT98022
start date: 01. 02. 1999 duration: 36 months
Title:
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CROSSLINKED POLYURETHANE MATERIALS FROM PRECURSORS OF COMPACT ARCHITECTURE
Keywords:
| COORDINATOR, CONTRACTOR: | |
|---|---|
| Institute of Macromolecular
Chemistry Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Department of Polymer Networks, 162 06 Prague Czech Republic |
Prof. Dusek Karel dusek at imc.cas.cz telephone +420-296 809 297 fax +420-296 809 410 |
| SUBCONTRACTORS: | |
| Laboratoire des Matériaux
Macromoléculaires UMR 5627, INSA Lyon, Villeurbanne Cedex France |
Prof. Pascault Jean-Pierre pascault at insa.insa-lyon.fr telephone +33-0472438225 fax +33-0472438527 |
| Eindhoven University of
Technology Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Eindhoven The Netherlands |
Prof. van der Linde Robert R.van.der.Linde at tue.nl telephone +31-402473077 fax +31-402463966 |
| Max-Planck-Gesellschaft für
Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. ,Institut für
Polymerforschung Polymer Physics Department, Mainz Germany |
Prof. Pakula Tadeusz pakula at mpip-mainz.mpg.de telephone +49-6131-379113 fax +49-6131379100 |
| Technical University of Lodz
Institute of Polymers Division of Polymer Physics Lodz, Poland |
Prof. Julanski Jacek julanski at ck-sg.p.lodz.pl telephone +48-42-6313205 fax +48-42-6362543 |
| National Institute of
Chemistry Laboratory for Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Ljubljana, Slovenia |
Prof. Zigon Majda majda.zigon at ki.si telephone +386-61-1760200 fax +386-61-1259244 |
| SYNPO, a.s. 532 07 Pardubice Czech Republic |
Dr. Zelenka Jiri Jiri.Zelenka at synpo.cz telephone +420-40-6310317 fax +420-2-6303333 |
| DSM Research, BV. Geleen The Netherlands |
Prof. Loontjens Ton ton.loontjens at dsm-group.com telephone +31-46-47611535 fax +31-46-4767604 |
The objectives of the project were to establish a network of cooperating academic and industrial research centres that would be focused on preparation and characterization of novel crosslinked polyurethane materials from precursors of compact architecture with improved materials properties and environmental response. Also, to assist and stimulate ongoing and planned research and development on polyurethane materials (in particular coatings) as well as to raise its quality by a multidisciplinary approach to research problems and by opening ways to development of products with improved processing and materials properties and their implementation.
The activities and methodology used included project progress meetings (4 meetings), exchange of research results and scientific information mainly by electronic mail, preparation of reference sample and their distribution among participants, organization of comparative measurements with reference samples, short term working stays in partner laboratories, bilateral and multilateral discussions on the occasion of scientific conference at which project results were presented.
The results obtained show that the major objectives of the project have been reached. The composition of the group of eight research laboratories ensured a multidisciplinary approach to the project, ranging from theory through characterization of structure and properties to investigation of applications, aimed at understanding how precursors of compact architecture should be designed in order to be used in polyurethane (coating) materials that are environmentally friendly. The major scientific achievements can be summarized as follows:
| Development of simulation methods enabling description and prediction of structure of precursors and their crosslinking. This makes possible to control the synthesis of precursors and formation of the crosslinked films. |
| Collaboration in characterization of the precursors by chromatographic methods resulted in recommendation of conditions of correct determination of molecular weights, distribution and averages. |
| Experimental characterization of the crosslinking process in reaction of precursors with polyisocyanates and correlation with prediction of the theory. Development of methods enabling monitoring the progress of the crosslinking reaction and drying of the films. |
| Preparation of new precursors ranging from hyperbranched to star polymers, statistical and random functional copolymers, polyurethane dispersions, and functional polyacrylate microgels and novel hyperbranched polymers based on polyesteramides (DSM). These precursors were tested in specific applications. |
| Research of synthesis, characterization and crosslinking of highly fluorinated systems designed for self-stratifying coatings with hydrophobic surfaces. |
| Modification of hyperbranched polymers to increase their solubility in organic solvents and to adjust their functionality. |
| Investigation of polyurethane dispersions from hyperbranched polymers, methods of their preparation and film properties. |
| Characterization of properties (film forming, mechanical) of selected crosslinking systems and evaluation of their suitability for protective coating technology. |
The results can be considered as significantly contributing to fundamental science of functional branched structures, crosslinking processes and polymer network properties. The results obtained are also documented in 33 publications in refereed journals and almost 40 presentations at international conferences related to the topics of the project. The results obtained on modified hyperbranched polymers, functional star polymer and polyacrylate microgels, HybraneÔ hyperbranched polyesteramides are utilized in industry.
