Hydrophilic Modification of a Polyurethane Surface Using Grafted 2,4,6-Tris(dimethylaminomethyl) Phenol.

2,4,6-Tris(dimethylaminomethyl) phenol (TDMP) was used as a grafted functional group to modify the hydrophilicity of polyurethane (PU) and to enhance the mechanical properties and low-temperature flexibility of PU. The grafted TDMP after conversion to the ionic form notably enhanced the hydrophilicity of PU, as confirmed by the water contact angle, water swelling, and water vapor permeability results. The light crosslinking that occurred during the grafting step increased the crosslink density and solution viscosity but did not disturb the solvation of PU. The melting of the soft segment was not affected by the grafted TDMP, but the crystallization of the soft segment was significantly reduced. The breaking tensile stress and shape recovery capability were notably enhanced, but the breaking tensile strain and shape retention capability were not impaired. In addition, the grafted TDMP notably improved the flexibility of PU at very low temperature compared with that of plain PU and control series PU. Overall, it is worth grafting TDMP onto PU considering the simple preparation method, the novelty of the modification mechanism, the notable enhancement in hydrophilicity, and the potential applications in fiber and biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]