| abstract |
This invention relates to a method of fabricating a thermoplastic elastomer which comprises the steps of: (a) fabricating a polyol having a molecular weight of between about 2,000 and about 20,000 and having a level of end group unsaturation of no greater than 0.04 milliequivalents per gram of polyol, said polyol being fabricated in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst, (b) reacting said polyol with a diisocyanate to produce an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer, and (c) reacting said isocyanate-terminated prepolymer with a difunctional isocyanate-reactive chain extender in a mold or in an extruder in order to produce a soft elastomer characterized by a Shore A hardness of between about 10 and about 70. Also claimed is the elastomer produced by the above method utilizing a one-shot technique. |