Thermoplastic urethane elastomers V. Compatible and incompatible blends with various polymers

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Abstract
Various blends over extended compositional ranges have beer, prepared for combinations of a thermoplastic urethane elastomer with polystyrene, a styrene‐acrylonitrile copolymer, a polyhydroxyether (Phenoxy A), and poly(vinyl ethyl ether). The thermoplastic urethane elastomer was based on a polycaprolactone diol of approximately 2100 number average molecular weight, 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate and 1,4‐butanediol at a molar ratio of 1/2/1, respectively. At ambient temperature, the tensile properties of the blends typically are intermediate between the values of the two separate components. Characterizations of the dynamic mechanical properties of the blends show the relative degree of compatibility for the thermoplastic urethane elastomer and the respective polymers. Two separate glass transitions are obtained for blends of polystyrene and the styrene‐acrylonitrile copolymer with the thermoplastic urethane elastomer. This behavior demonstrates that these blend systems are incompatible. The blends of Phenoxy A and the thermoplastic urethane elastomer exhibit a single glass transition for which the temperature is dependent on the respective concentration of the components. These mixtures are considered to be compatible in nature.