Water Dispersions Of Non-Uniform Polyurethane Particles

Abstract

A novel method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of non-uniform polyurethane particles which comprises (a) preparing at least two isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers having different hydrophilicities; (b) preparing a uniform mixture of said prepolymers, and (c) dispersing the mixed prepolymers in an aqueous medium. The resulting dispersion of the prepolymers may optionally be chain extended. This method enables the preparation of core-shell particles as well as particles of other morphologies, including “raspberry”, interpenetrating network, “salt-and-pepper”, “ice-cream cone” and particles of gradient composition. Similarly, an aqueous dispersion of two different polyurethane polymers may be obtained by first preparing at least two different isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers, preparing a uniform mixture of such prepolymers and thereafter dispersing the mixture in an aqueous medium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.