POLYMERS FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES .14. INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS DERIVED FROM CASTOR-OIL - ISOPHORONE DIISOCYANATE-POLYACRYLAMIDE -THERMAL, SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY, AND XRD STUDIES

A large number of castor oil based polyurethanes were prepared using V arious diisocyanates such as isophorone diisocyanate varying the NCO/O H ratio. All the polyurethanes were reacted with acrylamide and methac rylamide using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker and benzo yl peroxide as initiator. Thermogravimetric analysis of the polymers w ere followed using computer analysis method for assigning the kinetic mechanism. The degradation steps have been discussed in the light of k inetic parameters. The SEM of some of the IPNs has been studied and th e morphology has been examined. The samples were subjected to wide ang le X-ray diffraction analysis. Ruland and Vonk method was used to calc ulate the degree of crystallinity (X(CR)).