SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF UV CURABLE ACRYLATED URETHANE PREPOLYMERS .2. EFFECTS OF VARIOUS DIACRYLATES AS DILUENTS AND RELATIVE-HUMIDITY ON MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF TDI/PEG/HEMA-BASED POLYMERIC FILMS

Various UV-curable acrylated urethane prepolymers based on tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 400), and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were synthesized. The effects of reactive diluent types, the composition of the products and of different humidity conditions on mechanical properties of cured films were investigated. Effects of diethylene glycol diacrylate (DEGDA) and thiodiethylene glycol diacrylate (TDGDA) as reactive diluents on tensile strength, elongation and Young's modulus values of the UV cured films were examined systematically. The results show that the increase of relative humidity from 50 to 95% leads to a decrease in tensile strength and Young's modulus values of polymeric films. The decrease of these mechanical properties in high relative humidity is due to the formation of hydrogen bonding in the polymer chain caused by water molecules.