Aqueous Polyurethane Dispersions - Sodium Alginate Based Blends and Hydrogels

Abstract

The film forming binary polyurethane-alginate blends and based hydrogels, containing different alginate content, were prepared by blending of anionic polyurethane dispersions (APD) and aqueous sodium alginate (SA) solution. Binary blends of APD and SA were cast in film form from mixed aqueous polymer solutions by solvent evaporation. Post-treatment of as-cast films with CaCl2 leaded tot he hydrogels formation. The thermal stability, thermal transition, water-swelling, mechanical properties and gas permeance for O2 and CO2 of two kinds of films were examined according to alginate content. Irrespective of composition, blend samples gave a single glass transition temperature (Tg), indicating the formation of thermodynamically miscible phase. The shift of Tg in hydrogels to the higher temperatures indicated the possible simultaneous occurrence of a chelate complexation of SA with Ca+2 cations, cross-links between polyurethane chains, having carboxylate anions, with Ca2+ cations, and interactions between SA and anionic polyurethane, resulting in the formation of an semi-interpenetrating network structure. The relationships between the films structure, their physicochemical properties and alginate content have been discussed.