A sol/gel
curing method is used in this work to synthesize hybrid
partially bio-based polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs) from dicarbonates
derived from glycerol and various diamines. The method consists of
end-capping the PHU prepolymers with moisture-sensitive groups, so
sealants and adhesives can be produced from partially sustainable
hybrid PHUs (HPHUs), similar to their preparation from end-capped
conventional polyurethanes. Diglycerol dicarbonate (DGC) is synthesized
and polymerized with different diamines of various chain lengths,
and the resulting structural and thermal properties of the PHUs are
qualitatively and quantitively characterized. This characterization
led to two potential candidates: PHU 4, made of DGC and a poly(propylene
glycol) diamine, and PHU 10, prepared from DGC and a poly(dimethylsiloxane)
diamine. These polymers, with respective relative number-average molecular
weights of 3200 and 7400 g/mol, are end-capped and left to cure under
ambient lab conditions (22 °C and 40–50% humidity), and
the curing processes are monitored rheologically. Notably, moisture
curing does not require any catalyst. The chemical stability of the
resulting hybrid PHUs (HPHUs) 4 and 10 in pure water is investigated
to check the viability of applying them under outdoor conditions.
Only HPHU 10 is found to be resistant to water and shows hydrophobicity
with a contact angle of 109°. Tensile tests are conducted on
HPHU 10 samples cured under lab conditions for a week and others cured
for another week while being immersed in water. The mechanical properties,
tensile strength and elongation at break, improve with the samples
cured in water, indicating the high-water repellency of HPHU 10.