Developments in Weather-Resistant Polyurethane Coatings for Inflatables

Developing improved coating materials particularly for inflatable structures that consistently survive in harsh atmospheric conditions is a critical issue. Use of conventional polymers (polyvinyl chloride, acrylic, etc.) in these applications can be very limited because of poor weathering resistance, low flex fatigue, poor adhesion to substrate or high permeability to air or gases. As an alternative material, polyurethane (PU) has recently attracted a lot of interest. However, similar to other polymer materials, exposure of PU to aggressive environments (mainly to UV radiation) for a prolonged time causes changes in its physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics and even loss of use value. Stabilization against UV radiation practically means elimination or retardation of primary photochemical reactions in a polymer. This chapter discusses the basic mechanisms of photo-stabilization of PU in detail. In this regard, a clear insight has been given on the critical studies done on photo-stabilization of PU to date. Additionally, the lacuna in the research done to date and the futuristic approach for further progress are also concluded.