Rheological, Structural, and Strength Characteristics of Cold-Cured Polyurethane Synthesized in the Presence of the Complex of Tributyl Phosphate with Zinc Dichloride

Abstract

The possibility of using [(C₄H₉O)₃P=O]₂ZnCl₂ as a catalyst for preparing cold-cured polyurethane from a mixture of hydroxyl-containing oligomers and polyisocyanate was examined. The kinetic characteristics of curing were studied by viscometry, and the physicomechanical characteristics of compounds synthesized in the presence of [(C₄H₉O)₃P=O]₂ZnCl₂ were determined. The influence of the curing rate on the structure of hydrogen bonds in the polymer matrix and on the glass transition point of the polyurethane was analyzed using Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results obtained show that curing of polyurethane in the presence of [(C₄H₉O)₃P=O]₂ZnCl₂ occurs at a high rate and leads to the formation of stronger intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which is accompanied by an increase in the strength characteristics and in the glass transition point of the ready material. The suggested mechanism of the formation of the regular three-dimensionally cross-linked structure of the multicomponent polyurethane and the revealed relationships between the rheokinetic parameters of the cold curing and the physicomechanical properties of the material synthesized in the presence of [(C₄H₉O)₃P=O]₂ZnCl₂ have no analogs among the known polyurethane composites.