The Effect of Tungsten Disulfied Nanotubes on the Proprties of Polyurethane Adhesives

Gilad Otorgust ¹ Hanna Dodiuk ¹ Shmuel Kenig ¹ Reshef Tenne ²

¹Plastics engineering, Shenkar college
²Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science

Novel inorganic nanotubes (INT) of tungsten disulphide (WS₂) have been identified as unique candidates for polymer nanocomposites due to their superior mechanical and tribological properties. In this work, thermoset polyurethane (PU) elastomer nanocomposites were prepared using INT-WS₂ nanoparticles, untreated (as received) and surface treated, employing sonication process and high shear mixing, followed by in-situ polymerization. The dispersion quality was evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM).Thermomechanical properties were analyzed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Adhesive properties were characterized in shear and peel modes using appropriate standard bonded joints. Addition of 1wt.%. INTs resulted in enhancement of storage modulus by 30% and an increase of 10˚C of the glass transitions temperature (Tg) compared to the neat polymer. Moreover, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to identify possible chemical interactions between the treated and untreated INT-WS₂ and the polyurethane matrix.