Aliphatic polyether-based polyurethane(PU) elastomers with hyperbranched polyester segments were synthesized by prepolymer process from polytetramethylene ether glycol

hydroxyl-terminated hyperbranched polyester (HB-20)

IPDI and 1

4-butanediol.The crosslinking density of the PU elastomer was calculated by using the Flory-Rehner equation.The degree of hydrogen bonding

the microstructure and the morphologies of these PU materials were characterized by means of FTIR

WAXD and DSC

respectively.The experimental results indicated that the PU elastomers containing small amount of HB-20 exhibited the enhanced hydrogen bonding and the micro-phase separated morphologies as well as the mechanical properties.As compared with the comparable PU specimen

the tensile strength of the polyether-based aliphatic PU containing 6 wt% HB-20 increased by 2.1 times

up to 37.9 MPa

and the elongation at break was still as high as 414%

resulting from the dual effects of the hydrogen bonding and the crosslinking density in the PU system.