Fluorinated Polyurethanes: XPS and AFM Characterization

Fluorinated polyurethane films were obtained from 5-isocyanato-1(isocyanatomethyl)-1,3,3-trimethyl-cyclohexane (IPDI) and polyethylene oxide (PEO), employing two monoalcohols with different chain lenghts as fluorinated modifiers, 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-tridecafluoro-1-n-octanol (EA600) and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-heptadecafluoro-1-n-decanol (EA800). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has demonstrated that fluorine surface enrichment takes place. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed in order to characterize films surfaces, in terms of topography and differences in hydrophobicity from light and moderate tapping conditions.