Structure-property relationships of polycarbonate diol-based polyurethanes as a function of soft segment content and molar mass

Segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes (PUs) have been synthesized with polycarbonate diol as soft segment and 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and butanediol as hard segment. Two different series employing two different soft-segment molar mass, 1000 and 2000 g/mol, and by changing the hard-segment content from 32 to 67% have been investigated with the aim to elucidate the effect of the different content variations on the properties. Morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties have been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), wide angle X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, tensile and…