Synthesis of polyurethane/polyethylene grafted polymers using cyclotriphosphazene as a coupling agent

The reaction between a dihydroxyphenoxycyclotriphosphazene containing allylic functions, 3, and hexamethylene‐1,6‐diisocyanate (HDI) leads to a new cyclotriphosphazene‐substituted polyurethane 4. The structures of both classes of compounds involved in that synthesis were investigated by 31P‐, 13C‐, and 1H‐NMR, infrared, and mass spectrometries, size‐exclusion chromatography, and elemental analysis. The thermal behavior of 4 was investigated and compared to that of hexaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene, N3P3(OC6H5)6, and of a polyurethane synthesized from 1,3‐bis(hydroxy)benzene and HDI. The free‐radical‐promoted grafting of 4 onto the polyethylene surface is described. The resultant surface was studied by ATR–IR, XPS, and contact‐angle techniques. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 1925–1934, 2003