Improvements in the Hydrolytic Stability of Polyurethanes Available to Purchase

hydrolysis can be described as the reaction between water and another material in which a definite chemical change occurs. Materials which do not react with water can be said to possess hydrolytic stability. Polyurethanes can be hydrolysed by water under certain conditions and the chemical changes involved result in a deterioration in properties of the material. These changes can be followed chemically or physically but under severe conditions the degradation is readily apparent. In these cases the polyurethane can change from being a tough elastic material to a soft plastic substance with little or no strength.