SURFACE STRUCTURE AND BULK PROPERTIES OF FLUORINATED POLY(ETHER URETHANE)S AND POLY(ETHER URETHANE) BLENDS

It has been well known that fluorinated polyurethanes exhibit uniquely low surface energy, biocompatibility and biostability, thermal and oxidative stability and nonsticking behavior. Consequently, these polymers have attracted considerable interest. However, the mechanical properties of fluorinated polyurethanes usually decline with increasing fluorine contents. The blending of fluorinated polyurethanes with normal polyurethane was carried out to achieve balanced mechanical and surface properties. It was found that polyurethane with good mechanical properties and low surface energy can be obtained by adding a small amount of fluorinated polyurethane. The fluorinated side chains can easily migrate to uppermost surfaces of the blends untill the fluorine level at the surface becomes almost saturated. It has been shown from contact angle, XPS and AFM measurements that only as little as 0.34 wt% of fluorine level is enough to produce a surface saturated with fluorine, and the fluorine level at the uppermost surface is one hundred times higher than that in the blend bulk. The final outer surface structures of the polyurethane blend were independent of the content of the fluorinated polyurethane in the blends due to the surfaces saturated by fluorine.