Grafting from approach to the synthesis of photo-degrading polyurethane foams utilizing 2, 2-dimethylolpropionic acid functionalized nano-TiO2. (23rd October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Chao; Tang, Yixing; Charpentier, Paul A.
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 77(2015)
• Page Start: 345
• Page End: 353
• Publication Date: 2015-10-23
• Subjects: Polyurethane -- DMPA -- Titanium dioxide -- Photodegradation; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.09.056
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstract: Waste polyurethane foams are becoming a serious environmental issue due to their low degradation rates upon environmental exposure. In order to accelerate foam degradation, this work examined a "grafting-from" method in which polyurethane (PU) chains were grown directly from functionalized TiO2 nanoparticle surfaces. Both anatase and P25 TiO2 nanoparticles were reached with 2, 2-dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA) to produce functionalized monomers, which were subsequently used for PU foaming in a "grafting-from" polymerization approach. The photodegradation rate and degradation mechanism of synthesized PU foams was examined by exposure of foams to a UV weathering chamber from 0 to 250 h with timed water spraying. The results show that anatase TiO2 nanoparticles promote an increase in the degradation rate of polyurethane foams 120% over unmodified foam at an optimized loading of 3wt% DMPA-TiO2 (A). The presence of DMPA functionalized P25 nanoparticles produced an increase in the degradation rate of 66% over the unmodified foam at an optimized 1wt% loading. The results of this study suggest the potential for enhancing the degradation of polyurethane foams using a nano-TiO2 functional monomer approach. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Bifunctional monomers were prepared of DMPA functionalized anatase nanoTiO2 and P25. Polyurethane/TiO2 foams were successfully prepared with excellent nanoparticle dispersion using a "grafting from" approach. Both kinetics and the photodegradation mechanism were provided for the polyurethane/nTiO2 foam. Polyurethane foams with a loading weight 3% of DMPA-TiO2 was shown to possess the highest photodegradation rate.