Morphology and protonic conductivity of the polyurethanes with acid groupsin the flexible segment

Thermal transitions, morphology and electric conductivity of polyurethanes that contain acid (COOH) groups bound to their polyether (poly(tetramethyle ne oxide)) chains and hard urethane segments of various length have been st udied by means of calorimetry, wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering and a .c. conductivity in wide range of frequencies (0.1 Hz-l MHz) and temperatur e (-100 to 100 degrees C). It was shown that the polyurethanes are basicall y microphase-separated systems whose polyether-rich matrix contain from 20 to 25% of the hard urethane fragments. The protonic conductivity of the mat erials decreases with decreasing the polyether phase in the system. (C) 199 9 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.