Modelling the surface free energy parameters of polyurethane coats—part 1. Solvent-based coats obtained from linear polyurethane elastomers

Polyurethane elastomers coating were synthesised by using typical diisocyanates, polyether and polyester polyols and HO-tertiary amines or diols as a chain extenders. Mole fractions of structural fragments (κ (exp)) responsible for the polar interactions within polyurethane chains were calculated by (1)H NMR method. Obtained results were confronted with the analogous parameter values (κ (theor)) calculated on the basis of process stoichiometry, considering the stage of the production of isocyanate prepolymers and reaction of their extension for polyurethanes. Trials of linear correlation between the κ (exp) parameters and surface free energy (SFE) values of investigated coatings were presented. SFE values were determined by Owens–Wendt method, using contact angles measured with the goniometric method. Based on achieved results, another empirical models, allowing for prediction the influence of the kind of polyurethane raw materials on SFE values of received coatings were determined. It was found that it is possible to regulate the SFE in the range millijoules per cubic metre by the selection of appropriate substrates. It has been found that use of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,4-butanediol as a fluorinated extender of prepolymer chains is essential to obtain coatings with increased hydrophobicity, applied among others as biomaterials—next to diphenylmethane diisocyanate and polyoxyethylene glycol.