POLYURETHANES FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES .4. PROPERTIES OF LINEAR, CROSS-LINKED AND SEGMENTED POLYMERS FROM POLYTETRAHYDROFURAN DIOLS AND THEIR GLUCOSIDES

Various types of polyurethanes were synthesised from two classes of po lyols: (i) 1,4-butane diol or selected polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) diol s of different average molecular weights in the range similar to 300-2 300; (ii) mono- or bisglucosides derived from each of these diols. Lin ear or crosslinked polymers were prepared by reaction with diphenylmet hane diisocyanate (MDI) and the properties of polymers from each class of polyol were compared. Higher PTHF molecular weights produced bette r properties for the diol based materials whereas lower (parent) PTHF molecular weights favoured the glucoside based materials. Segmented po lymers were prepared from reaction with MDI and the chain extender eth ylene glycol (EG). Manipulation of the cure conditions and hard block concentration produced materials of widely differing properties. At ce rtain hard block concentrations and using rapid (high temperature) cur ing the glucoside based materials were (i) superior in properties to t he diol based materials and (ii) had similar properties to commercial reaction injection moulding polyurethanes.