Synthesis and properties of star-shaped polyesters for high-solid-content two-component polyurethane wood coatings

As the laws about emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) become more and more stringent, low VOC content coatings, such as high solid polyurethane coating, gradually attract great attention. Herein, a series of star-shaped hydroxyl polyesters (SHPs) were synthesized by methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), and monoglycidyl ether. The number of their average molecular weights is ranged from 913 to 1390 with 1.55–1.75 of PDI. The viscosities of SHPs are low to 1060 mPa·s. The molecular structures of SHPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopies. The high-solid two-component polyurethane coatings (2 K-PU) from SHP-3 have a 65% of the solid contents and exhibit 20 mPa·s of the applied viscosity with 310 g/L of VOC contents. Moreover, the polyurethane film displays high coating hardness up to 2H, as well as excellent chemical resistance and good thermal stability.