Synthesis and properties of polydimethylsiloxane/graphene oxide modified,water-based polyurethane/polyacrylate

In this study, we prepared polydimethylsiloxane–graphene oxide (PG) modified waterborne polyurethane acrylate (WPUA) films and enhanced their hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and mechanical properties. The prepared films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and energy spectroscopy analysis; this confirmed the successful incorporation of PG into WPUA. As shown by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analysis, the surfaces of the WPUA films were confirmed to have turned smoother and more compact after PG addition. With an optimized amount of PG (0.1%) incorporated into the WPUA film, it exhibited a contact angle improvement of 21.9°, an enhanced decomposition temperature at 5% weight losses of 25 °C, and an elongation at break improvement of 482.92% over those of pure WPUA. The newly synthesized PG–WPUA showed considerable enhancements in its hydrophobicity and thermal and mechanical properties and could be deemed to have potential value as an alternative contender for practical applications in coatings painted on tunnels and highways. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47926.