SUMMARY
In this work the effects of different crystallographic modifications of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) filler on the melt flow, mechanical properties, hydrolytic degradation, and shape memory behaviour of recycled low-temperature poly(e-caprolactone)-based polyurethane (rTPU) were evaluated. Composites were prepared by two-roll milling varying filler content from 2 wt% to 6 wt%. It was found that at temperature range from 20°C to 50°C CaCO3 fillers do not change Young’s modulus, they decrease tensile stress and deformation of rTPU, but improve its mechanical properties at elevated temperatures (up to 65°C). rTPU melt flow index increases due to chain scission during the recycling and filler mixing with mill. Therefore, destruction temperature of rTPU is 20°C lower than that of TPU. The CaCO3 does not change shape memory properties independently of filler type and transition from secondary shape to the primary shape at 70°C temperature is completed within 17 s for both filled and unfilled rTPU. The investigation of hydrolytic degradation shows that CaCO3 only slightly increases degradation rate of rTPU.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.3.2433