AbstractThe properties of isocyanate‐terminated polyurethane prepolymers were optimized through the use of statistically designed experiments. A simple 2 × 2 factorial with centerpoint statistical design was used to determine the effect the diol‐to‐triol ratio and per cent free isocyanate had on the viscosity of the prepolymer. Combinations of a 1000 or 2000 molecular weight diol with either a 1500 or 4100 molecular weight triol showed that a reasonable range of viscosity could be maintained only with the 4100 molecular weight triol. A nine‐point design was then utilized to predict the best levels of free isocyanate and polyol ratio that would yield cured urethane polymers with the highest tensile strengths, moduli, and elongations. With this design, second‐order equations were computed that predict the mechanical responses of urethane polymers based on the free isocyanate and polyol ratio used in its f
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