Synthesis and application of hybrid waterborne polyurethane/acrylate dispersion with diol grafting agent containing carbon–carbon double bond

Abstract In this work, polyurethane/acrylate waterborne hybrid polymer (WPUA) colloids were synthesized by grafting with a new diol agent containing carbon–carbon double bond to create chemical bonds between polyurethane and polyacrylate chains. WPUAs were obtained by a solvent‐free and surfactant‐free method with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTMG), 2,2‐bis(hydroxymethyl)butyric acid, and diol grafting agent in the polyurethane part, and methyl methacrylate, n‐butyl acrylate, and octadecyl acrylate in the polyacrylate portion. When the R value was 1.5 and WPU/PA was 5:5, hybrid WPUA dispersion was obtained with the satisfied particle size and colloidal stability. WPUA dispersion was applied on textile substrates for water repellent. Scanning electron microscope results showed that WPUA covered the fabric surface and formed a thin film. Contact angle measurements of water have revealed that the addition of WPUA to the textile improved the water repellency and increased the contact angle to 152°. Moreover, WPUA coated fabrics had good durability against washing. After 50 laundering cycles, the static water contact angle of the fabric coated with the WPUA could maintain at 143°.