Facile fabrication of polyurethane/poly(methyl methacrylate) semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks for enhanced mechanical and thermal properties

The primary objective of this research is to fabricate semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) via in‐situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) within a polyurethane (PU) framework. To produce polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) from MMA in the PU matrix, solution polymerization was utilized in the following weight ratios: 30/70, 50/50, 70/30, and 90/10. The effective formation of semi‐IPNs of PU/PMMA was confirmed by several techniques. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) proves that no new chemical bonds formed between the semi‐IPNs, and only physical interactions were present, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques tell about the amorphous nature of these semi‐IPNs. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) were utilized to examine the morphology of PU/PMMA semi‐IPNs. In contrast to alternative semi‐IPNs, 70/30 and 90/10 PU/PMMA exhibit a uniform morphology devoid of phase separation. Furthermore, the significant thermal stability and transitions of these semi‐IPNs were assessed using a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Additionally, the mechanical analysis indicates that among the different percentages of PU/PMMA, 70/30 PU/PMMA exhibits the highest tensile strength of approximately 50.5 MPa. The observed enhancement in mechanical strength can be attributed to interpenetrating networks (IPNs) formed between the constituents. The synthesized PU/PMMA semi‐IPNs have potential in various fields, including medical devices, automotive components, sports, and other advanced applications.