Amorphous and Crystallizable Thermoplastic Polyureas Synthesized through a One-pot Non-isocyanate Route.

A simple one-pot non-isocyanate route for synthesizing thermoplastic polyureas is presented. In situ urethanization was conducted from the ring-opening reaction of ethylene carbonate with poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) and hexanediamine, m-xylylenediamine, or diethylene glycol bis(3-aminopropyl) ether at 100 °C for 6 h under normal pressure. Melt transurethane polycondensation was successively conducted at 170 °C under a reduced pressure of 399 Pa for different time periods. A series of nonisocyanate thermoplastic polyureas (NI-TPUreas) were prepared. The NI-TPUreas were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, FTIR, 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and tensile test. NI-TPUreas exhibited Mn of up to 1.67 × 104 g/mol, initial decomposition temperature over 290 °C, and tensile strength of up to 32 MPa. Several crystallizable NI-TPUreas exhibited Tm exceeding 98 °C. NI-TPUreas with good thermal and mechanical properties were prepared through a green and simple one-pot non-isocyanate route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]