The Relation between Structure and Physical Properties in Polyurethans

Abstract
The field of polyurethans is rapidly growing in commercial importance, especially in form and elastomer applications. This group of polymers includes a very broad region of chemical structures and chain length. In many cases polyurethans are synthesized from polyester glycols or polyether glycols and diisocyanates so that the urethan groups are even fewer in number than other functional groups. This process of synthesis enables us to deal with a very wide range of polymer properties, adding interest to the studies of relation between structure and properties. Though a considerable number of publications dealing primarily with the properties of urethan polymers have been published, few of them contribute to better understanding of the relation between these properties and the corresponding polymer structure. Within the last few years information of value has become available, and Saunders has established some semi-quantitative relations by the use of such data. He also discusses in his reports general considerations concerning structure-property relationships. Although his considerations and conclusions show a marked progress, they are not theoretically satisfactory yet, especially from a quantitative viewpoint. The authors have investigated structure-property relationships in polyurethans for a few years and written some papers concerning synthesis, reaction kinetics, some physical properties, network structure, and dynamic behavior of polyurethans.