Abstract: In one or more embodiments, the present invention provide a polyisobutylene-based polyurethane-urea, and related method of preparation, wherein PIB-diols form the soft segment and a diisocyanate along with a well-defined combinations low molecular weight diol chain extenders and amino alcohol as co-chain extenders form the hard segments. In one or more embodiments, the present invention is directed to the use of judiciously chosen chain extender/co-chain extender combinations to enhance the strength of PUs by partially replacing urethane groups with urea groups by the use of amino alcohols to improve strength, while maintaining good processability. These thermoplastic PIB-PUU elastomers exhibit heretofore unattainable combinations of mechanical properties and processability.

Abstract: A PIB-based polymer network includes at least one sulfur containing segment and at least two PIB polymer segments. The at least two PIB polymer segments each include a core and at least two polyisobutylene polymer chains extending therefrom. The at least one sulfur containing segment includes at least one sulfur atom that is located between any two polyisobutylene polymer chains from two different PIB polymer segments, so that the sulfur containing segment connects those two different PIB polymer segments together. The PIB-based polymer network is produced by the thiol-ene reaction in the presence of light or heat. The reaction products include at least two polyisobutylene polymer precursor moieties, each polyisobutylene polymer precursor moiety having at least two end group selected from the end groups —CH2—CH(CH3)?CH2, —CH2?C(CH3)2, and —CH2—CH?CH2; and at least one multi-functional thiol.

Abstract: Sulfur containing, hydroxyl-telechelic PIBs, hydrolytically and oxidatively resistant, biocompatible and biostable polyurethanes (PUs) made therefrom, and methods for making both are disclosed. Well-defined hydroxyl telechelic PIBs are synthesized by a thiol-ene click photochemical reaction between PIBs carrying unsaturated end groups and 2-mercaptoethanol (HS—CH2CH2—OH). This regioselective process affords HO—CH2CH2—S-PIB-S—CH2CH2—OH (abbreviated herein as HO—S-PIB-S—OH) in high yield. In some embodiments, these HO—S-PIB-S—OH polymers may be reacted with diisocyanates and a chain extender to form sulfur containing PIB-based PUs. These sulfur containing PIB-based PUs have been found to have properties and chemical stability that are very similar to that of PUs made from di-hydroxyl terminated PIBs (OH-PIB-OHs) without sulfur, but have surprisingly increased creep resistance and are easier and less expensive to make.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a new class of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and processes for making them. In some embodiments of the present invention, the end groups of the multi-arm PIB copolymer is a conjugated diene, whereas the other component is a multi-functional dienophile. The components of the TPE of the present invention are chemically connected via the well-known Diels-Alder reaction which is thermally reversible (by the retro-Diels-Alder reaction) at moderately elevated temperatures. The reversibility of the Diels-Alder retro-Diels-Alder reactions allows the recovery of the original components of the TPE and thus its recyclability and also gives the TPE the ability to be reshaped or reformed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes and methods of making and using them. The hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes contain a sulfur unit, —S—, within each terminal end group. The well-defined, sulfur containing, primary hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes of the present invention can be simply, rapidly, and essentially quantitatively obtained by subjecting the unsaturated telechelic PIBs and mercapto alcohols to UV light-activated thiol-ene reactions. The resultant sulfur containing, primary hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes can then be used in the production of polyurethanes and like materials.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polyurethanes and polyurethane prepolymers having improved mechanical properties over ordinarily produced polyurethanes or polyurethane prepolymers. Such polyurethanes and prepolymers include very small amounts of organically-modified layered clays, and more specifically, less than 1 weight percent, based upon the total polymer composition, of a layered clay exfoliated with organic quaternary ammonium salts having alkyl substituents, wherein at least one of the alkyl substituents carries an —NH2 group.

Abstract: A method of preparing an amiphiphilic co-network comprising preparing a molecularly-bimodal crosslinkable amphiphilic graft by polymerizing a dihydrocarbylacrylamide monomer in the presence of a first asymmetric-telechelic polydihydrocarbylsiloxane monomer mixture and a second asymmetric-telechelic polydihydrocarbylsiloxane monomer mixture where the molar mass ratio between average molar mass of the first asymmetric-telechelic monomer mixture polydihydrocarbylsiloxane and average molar mass of the second asymmetric-telechelic monomer mixture polydihydrocarbylsiloxane is between 1:2 and 1:20; and crosslinking the molecularly-bimodal crosslinkable amphiphilic graft with a siloxane compound that includes at least two Si—H bonds.

Abstract: A method of preparing an amiphiphilic co-network comprising preparing a molecularly-bimodal crosslinkable amphiphilic graft by polymerizing a dihydrocarbylacrylamide monomer in the presence of a first asymmetric-telechelic polydihydrocarbylsiloxane monomer mixture and a second asymmetric-telechelic polydihydrocarbylsiloxane monomer mixture where the molar mass ratio between average molar mass of the first asymmetric-telechelic monomer mixture polydihydrocarbylsiloxane and average molar mass of the second asymmetric-telechelic monomer mixture polydihydrocarbylsiloxane is between 1:2 and 1:20; and crosslinking the molecularly-bimodal crosslinkable amphiphilic graft with a siloxane compound that includes at least two Si—H bonds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes and methods of making and using them. The hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes contain a sulfur unit, —S—, within each terminal end group. The well-defined, sulfur containing, primary hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes of the present invention can be simply, rapidly, and essentially quantitatively obtained by subjecting the unsaturated telechelic PIBs and mercapto alcohols to UV light-activated thiol-ene reactions. The resultant sulfur containing, primary hydroxyl-terminated polyisobutylenes can then be used in the production of polyurethanes and like materials.

Abstract: A PIB-based polymer network includes at least one sulfur containing segment and at least two PIB polymer segments. The at least two PIB polymer segments each include a core and at least two polyisobutylene polymer chains extending therefrom. The at least one sulfur containing segment includes at least one sulfur atom that is located between any two polyisobutylene polymer chains from two different PIB polymer segments, so that the sulfur containing segment connects those two different PIB polymer segments together. The PIB-based polymer network is produced by the thiol-ene reaction in the presence of light or heat. The reaction products include at least two polyisobutylene polymer precursor moieties, each polyisobutylene polymer precursor moiety having at least two end group selected from the end groups —CH2—CH(CH3)?CH2, —CH2?C(CH3)2, and —CH2—CH?CH2; and at least one multi-functional thiol.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a new class of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and processes for making them. In some embodiments of the present invention, the end groups of the multi-arm PIB copolymer is a conjugated diene, whereas the other component is a multi-functional dienophile. The components of the TPE of the present invention are chemically connected via the well-known Diels-Alder reaction which is thermally reversible (by the retro-Diels-Alder reaction) at moderately elevated temperatures. The reversibility of the Diels-Alder retro-Diels-Alder reactions allows the recovery of the original components of the TPE and thus its recyclability and also gives the TPE the ability to be reshaped or reformed.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polyurethanes and polyurethane prepolymers having improved mechanical properties over ordinarily produced polyurethanes or polyurethane prepolymers. Such polyurethanes and prepolymers include very small amounts of organically-modified layered clays, and more specifically, less than 1 weight percent, based upon the total polymer composition, of a layered clay exfoliated with organic quaternary ammonium salts having alkyl substituents, wherein at least one of the alkyl substituents carries an —NH2 group.