Estimation of thermo-mechanical and fire resistance profile of epoxy coated polyurethane/fullerene composite films

ABSTRACT

Novel polyurethane (PU) was prepared and reinforced with fullerene C-60 (1–10 wt.%). An epoxy, diglycidyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate, was coated on PU/Full-C60 films using dip coating technique. Epoxy coated PU/Full-C60 revealed dense and consistent network morphology of epoxy-polyurethane with embedded fullerene nanoparticles. Epoxy coated PU/Full-C60 1–10 films showed higher values of tensile strength 86.9–90.3 MPa (79% increase relative to PU) and tensile modulus 33.3–47.6 GPa. In Epoxy coated PU/Full-C60 1–10, T_max was increased to 521°C and char yield to 45%. Moreover increasing fullerene content decreased PHRR from 302 to 138 kW/m², i.e., 55% reduction in flammability than PU.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• polyurethane
• fullerene C-60
• epoxy
• dip coating
• tensile strength