MECHANICAL PROPERTY AND SWELLING BEHAVIOR OF SEMIINTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS BASED ON POLYVINYL-ALCOHOL AND POLYURETHANE

We have studied the mechanical property and swelling behavior of semii nterpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) of poly(vinyl alcohol) (P VA) and polyurethane (PU) with reactive groups under different experim ental conditions. Tensile strength and elongation of these semi-IPNs a re strongly dependent on the composition of IPNs and degree of PU cros slinking. It is clear that the composition of PVA and PU forms differe nt IPNs morphology, which would determine the final mechanical propert y. The experimental results also demonstrate that the degree of crossl inking, which is controlled by heat treating temperature time, and amo unt of reactive groups, affects the swelling behavior of IPNs. With a change in the degree of crosslinking, the degree of swelling of IPNs i s also different. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.