WATER SOLUBLE OR DISPERSIBLE POLYURETHANES, A PROCESS FOR THEIR PREPARATION AND THEIR USE FOR COATING SUBSTRATES

摘要

The present invention is directed to water dispersible or soluble polyurethanes containing about 0.5 to 30% by weight, based on the weight of the polyurethanes, of ethylene oxide units present in lateral or terminal polyether chains, characterized in that in addition to these ethylene oxide units the polyurethanes contain, as further hydrophilic centers, about 0.1 to 120 milliequivalents, per 100 g of solids content, of carboxylate groups in the form of built-in structural units corresponding to the general formula <IMG> wherein R denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the total quantity of carboxylate groups and ethylene oxide units present in lateral or terminal chains is calculated to ensure the solubility or dispersibility of the polyurethanes in water. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these polyurethanes and to their use for coating substrates.