Abstract
The effect of diisocyanate type on the decomposition temperature of polyurethane (PU) hydrolysis was investigated in a subcritical water medium up to 250°C. PU samples were prepared using different types of diisocyanate: two aromatic diisocyanates (4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and methyl phenylene diisocyanate (TDI)), one unbranched aliphatic diisocyanate (hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)), and two cyclic aliphatic diisocyanates (4,4'-methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate (H12MDI) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI)). The pressure had no effect on hydrolysis in the range of 70-250 bar. The decomposition temperature of the PU samples increased in the following order: TDI-PU (199°C) < H12MDI ≈ IPDI ≈ HDI (218-220°C) < MDI-PU (237°C). This order of increase in temperature is related to the electron-donating ability of the group to connected to the nitrogen of the urethane unit. When the temperature of the (PU + water) mixture reached the specific decomposition temperature, the PU samples hydrolyzed completely within 5 min into primary amine and 1,4-butanediol. The hydrolysis products from MDI-PU and H12MDI-PU were separated into a liquid phase rich in (BD + water) and a solid low phase rich in amine, whereas the products from TDI-, IPDI-, and HDI-PU existed in a single aqueous phase.
Keywords: PU recycling;hydrolysis;polyurethane;decomposition temperature;isocyanate type and structure