Preparation and characterization of polyurethane porous membranes by particulate-leaching methods

Highly porous polyurethane foams were prepared by the particulate-leaching technique, using NaCl as water soluble solid phase. Melt compounding and compression molding were used to prepare polymer/salt composite samples. Foams with controlled porosity, surface/volume ratio and pore dimension distribution were therefore obtained after dissolution of salt in distilled water. Dissolution kinetic was evaluated and modeled as a function of filler composition and its size distribution. Kinetic increased by rising salt concetration and by reducing its average size. Mechanical properties of the foams were correlated to their morphological structure and to the properties of polymeric component.