The cationic-nonionic dispersing centers with different chain lengths of poly ethylene glycol methyl ether (N-PDEA 750, N-PDEA 2000) were prepared from N-diethanol amine (NDEA), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) (PEO M-w = 750 and 2000), whereas aqueous cationic-nonjonic polyurethane (N-PDEA PU) with different side chain lengths were prepared by N-PDEA 750 (or N-PDEA 2000), 4,4-methylene bis(isocyantocyclohexane) (H12MDI), polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG 2000), ethylene diamine (EDA), and glycolic acid (GA) as cationic-nonionic dispersing center, hard segment, soft segment, chain extender, and quarternizing agent, respectively. The thermal and mechanical properties of PU casting film were then discussed. We also used N-methyldiethyolamine (N-MDEA) without PEO as cationic dispersing center to synthesize aqueous cationic PU (N-MDEA PU). The PU blends were blending N-PDEA 750 PU and N-MDEA PU by different weight ratios and the physical properties of casting films and coated fabric of PU and PU blends were investigated. Regarding the thermal properties, we have found Out that the cationic-nonionic PU (N-PDEA 750 PU, N-PDEA 2000 PU) has lower T-gs, T-ms, T-mH and Delta H-H than N-MDEA PU, apart from AH(s). The N-PDEA 2000 PU with longer side-chain PEO has lower T-gs higher T-ms and Delta Hs than N-PDEA 750 PU. As for mechanical property, N-DEA PU has lower tensile strength of casting film compared with N-MDEA PU. Regarding the comparison of side chain length of PEO, N-PDEA 2000 PU with longer side chain has higher tensile strength than N-PDEA 750 PU with shorter side chain length. In addition, N-PDEA 2000 PU group that shows hard property in stress-strain curve, whereas N-PDEA 750 PU shows soft property. The tensile strength of PU blends decreases as the content of N-PDEA 750 PU increases. When the low-blend ratio of N-PDEA 750 PU (e.g., 5%), the tensile strength of casting film only shows less influence that can improve the elongation effectively. In terms of coating-treated fabrics, cationic-nonionic PU-coated fabrics show lower waterproof capacity (WP) than those treated by cationic PU. However, the water vapor permeability (WVP) and antiyellowing of the N-l"DEA 750 PU coated fabrics are significantly better than the one treated by cationic polyurethane. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.