Soft polyurethane elastomers with adhesion properties based on palm olein and palm oil fatty acid methyl ester polyols

Soft polyurethane (PU) elastomers with >70% bio-based content and with properties characteristic of pressure sensitive adhesives were prepared from an equimolar ratio of a polyol derived from palm oil fatty acid methyl ester (PolyFAME-EG polyol) and palm olein polyols (Pioneer E-135 and Pioneer M-60) cured with 2,4′- and 4,4′- diphenylmethane diisocyanate isomeric mixture at isocyanate to hydroxyl equivalent weight ratio (Isocyanate Index) of 1.02 and 0.73. FTIR analyses of the resulting elastomers indicate high levels of free non-hydrogen bonded urethanes, indicating phase mixing of hard and soft segments, which explains the transparent nature of the elastomers. The physical properties of the elastomers were correlated with the cross-link density of the palm olein polyols and Isocyanate Index. Elastomers produced at an Isocyanate Index of 1.02 ranges in hardness from 21 to 67 Shore A which correlated with the average polyol functionality. However, at an Isocyanate Index of 0.72 the resulting elastomers were very soft with hardness ranging from 1 to 4 Shore A and with T-peel adhesion to polypropylene in the range from 2.27 to 1.98 N/25 mm. Based on these results, a polyurethane matrix with a high renewable content of palm oil polyols can be used as a platform for the development of transparent elastomers that can be used as soft energy-absorbing materials with potential use in pressure sensitive adhesives.