PHASE-BEHAVIOR OF POLY(ETHER URETHANE) NYLON-6 BLOCK-COPOLYMER

Poly(ether urethane) (PEU)-Nylon 6 block copolymer film prepared via m elt pressing and subsequent quenching in liquid nitrogen exhibited a o ne-phase structure due to the specific interaction between urethane gr oups in the PEU block and the amide groups in Nylon 6 block through hy drogen bonding. Contrary to this, the solvent cast film showed a micro phase separated structure which had risen from the poor solubility cha racteristics of the PEU block in the solvent. However, by heat treatme nt, the mutual miscibility of the block copolymer increased as a resul t of the hydrogen bonding formation. The block copolymer and Nylon 6 b inary blend showed that these two polymers are compatible over the ent ire composition range mainly due to the specific interactions between the urethane and the amide groups in the blend through hydrogen bondin g. The block copolymer in the ternary blend which consists of polyuret hane (PU), Nylon 6, and the block copolymer prepared by melt extrusion was soluble in either of the PU and Nylon 6 homopolymers, inducing a homogenizing effect. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.