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Functional Polyurethanes II
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Functional Polyurethanes II

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 18507

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sándor Kéki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: polymers; polyurethanes; shape-memory polymers; cationic polymerization; light emitting materials; fluorescent dyes; mass spectrometry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, polyurethanes (PUs) are considered to be the most versatile and rapidly emerging class of polymers that are able to meet specific needs of our society. In the era of “plastics”, there is a continuously increasing demand for the manufacture of such polymers with various properties. Using the chemical reaction between isocyanates and polyols, PUs in different forms, including linear and crosslinked ones, can be synthesized.  The wide variety of both the isocyanate and the polyol components, as well as the variation of the reaction conditions (e.g., the molar ratio of the reactants, catalyst, temperature, etc.) allows us to tailor the mechanical, chemical and even the biological properties for a particular PU system. In addition, the properties of PUs for a specific application can be further improved through the incorporation of various polymer segments and/or activatable bonds in the backbone, and/or by introducing specific pendant groups/segments onto the main polymer chain. The term “functional” in the manner we use herein represents not only the chemical modification (i.e., functionalization) possibilities, but also covers one or more functional properties operating based on different mechanisms. Self-healing assisted by shape memory properties is an excellent example of the combination of two functions working on different principles. Such “functional” PUs have attained considerable interest because of their manifold and unprecedented application possibilities.

The aim of this Special Issue of Polymers, entitled “Functional Polyurethanes II”, which is the continuation of the previous Special Issue “Functional Polyurethanes”, is to cover the most recent progress in the field of polyurethane “functionalization”. This Special Issue will also consider the novel design, synthesis and characterization of functional monomers/polymers including theoretical calculations, too, as well as the applications of functional PUs (e.g., coatings, nanocomposites, elastomers, ionomers, waterborne PUs, tissue engineering, shape memory, self-healing effects). Both research and review papers are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Sándor Kéki
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Polyurethanes
  • Synthesis, mechanisms, kinetics
  • Characterization, theoretical calculations
  • “Click” chemistry
  • Shape memory polyurethanes
  • Self-healing polyurethanes
  • Tissue engineering
  • Ionomers, waterborne PUs
  • Nanocomposites

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 15060 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Potential to Repurpose Flexible Moulded Polyurethane Foams as Acoustic Insulators
by Enikő Mester, Dániel Pecsmány, Károly Jálics, Ádám Filep, Miklós Varga, Kitti Gráczer, Béla Viskolcz and Béla Fiser
Polymers 2022, 14(1), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14010163 - 31 Dec 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3189
Abstract
Polyurethane flexible foams are widely used for a variety of applications to improve comfort and durability. Their long-term frequent use inevitably leads to the generation of waste that needs to be treated. The recycling and reuse of polyurethane waste are essential to achieve [...] Read more.
Polyurethane flexible foams are widely used for a variety of applications to improve comfort and durability. Their long-term frequent use inevitably leads to the generation of waste that needs to be treated. The recycling and reuse of polyurethane waste are essential to achieve an environmentally friendly economy. The present study investigates the potential to reuse and repurpose flexible polyurethane foam from automotive seat cushion waste materials. Flexible foams were prepared with different hardnesses using isocyanate–polyol ratios between 0.8 and 1.2 NCO-index. Dry heat aging tests were performed to mimic the long-term usage of the materials. The decrease in compressive strength was compared with the change in acoustic damping properties before and after the aging tests using an acoustic tube, and the change in foam cell structures was also analyzed by micro-CT. On the basis of the results obtained, although the foam systems are no longer suitable to be used as seat cushions due to aging, they can still be used as sound insulation materials within a given frequency range, as their sound absorption capacity is suitable for such purpose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polyurethanes II)
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11 pages, 16191 KiB  
Article
Computational Study of Catalytic Urethane Formation
by Hadeer Q. Waleed, Marcell Csécsi, Rachid Hadjadj, Ravikumar Thangaraj, Dániel Pecsmány, Michael Owen, Milán Szőri, Zsolt Fejes, Béla Viskolcz and Béla Fiser
Polymers 2022, 14(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14010008 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4035
Abstract
Polyurethanes (PUs) are widely used in different applications, and thus various synthetic procedures including one or more catalysts are applied to prepare them. For PU foams, the most important catalysts are nitrogen-containing compounds. Therefore, in this work, the catalytic effect of eight different [...] Read more.
Polyurethanes (PUs) are widely used in different applications, and thus various synthetic procedures including one or more catalysts are applied to prepare them. For PU foams, the most important catalysts are nitrogen-containing compounds. Therefore, in this work, the catalytic effect of eight different nitrogen-containing catalysts on urethane formation will be examined. The reactions of phenyl isocyanate (PhNCO) and methanol without and in the presence of catalysts have been studied and discussed using the G3MP2BHandHLYP composite method. The solvent effects have also been considered by applying the SMD implicit solvent model. A general urethane formation mechanism has been proposed without and in the presence of the studied catalysts. The proton affinities (PA) were also examined. The barrier height of the reaction significantly decreased (∆E0 > 100 kJ/mol) in the presence of the studied catalysts, which proves the important effect they have on urethane formation. The achieved results can be applied in catalyst design and development in the near future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polyurethanes II)
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Review

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28 pages, 6799 KiB  
Review
Nonedible Vegetable Oil-Based Polyols in Anticorrosive and Antimicrobial Polyurethane Coatings
by Chandrashekhar K. Patil, Dong Wook Jung, Harishchandra D. Jirimali, Joon Hyun Baik, Vikas V. Gite and Sung Chul Hong
Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3149; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183149 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5323
Abstract
This review describes the preparation of nonedible vegetable oil (NEVO)-based polyols and their application in anticorrosive and antimicrobial polyurethane (PU) coatings. PUs are a class of versatile polymers made up of polyols and isocyanates. Renewable vegetable oils are promising resources for the development [...] Read more.
This review describes the preparation of nonedible vegetable oil (NEVO)-based polyols and their application in anticorrosive and antimicrobial polyurethane (PU) coatings. PUs are a class of versatile polymers made up of polyols and isocyanates. Renewable vegetable oils are promising resources for the development of ecofriendly polyols and the corresponding PUs. Researchers are interested in NEVOs because they provide an alternative to critical global food issues. The cultivation of plant resources for NEVOs can also be popularized globally by utilizing marginal land or wastelands. Polyols can be prepared from NEVOs following different conversion routes, including esterification, etherification, amidation, ozonolysis, hydrogenation, hydroformylation, thio-ene, acrylation, and epoxidation. These polyols can be incorporated into the PU network for coating applications. Metal surface corrosion and microbial growth are severe problems that cause enormous economic losses annually. These problems can be overcome by NEVO-based PU coatings, incorporating functional ingredients such as corrosion inhibitors and antimicrobial agents. The preferred coatings have great potential in high performance, smart, and functional applications, including in biomedical fields, to cope with emerging threats such as COVID-19. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polyurethanes II)
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15 pages, 2713 KiB  
Review
Rational Design of Effective Binders for LiFePO4 Cathodes
by Shu Huang, Xiaoting Huang, Youyuan Huang, Xueqin He, Haitao Zhuo and Shaojun Chen
Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3146; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183146 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5232
Abstract
Polymer binders are critical auxiliary additives to Li-ion batteries that provide adhesion and cohesion for electrodes to maintain conductive networks upon charge/discharge processes. Therefore, polymer binders become interconnected electrode structures affecting electrochemical performances, especially in LiFePO4 cathodes with one-dimensional Li+ channels. [...] Read more.
Polymer binders are critical auxiliary additives to Li-ion batteries that provide adhesion and cohesion for electrodes to maintain conductive networks upon charge/discharge processes. Therefore, polymer binders become interconnected electrode structures affecting electrochemical performances, especially in LiFePO4 cathodes with one-dimensional Li+ channels. In this paper, recent improvements in the polymer binders used in the LiFePO4 cathodes of Li-ion batteries are reviewed in terms of structural design, synthetic methods, and working mechanisms. The polymer binders were classified into three types depending on their effects on the performances of LiFePO4 cathodes. The first consisted of PVDF and related composites, and the second relied on waterborne and conductive binders. Profound insights into the ability of binder structures to enhance cathode performance were discovered. Overcoming the bottleneck shortage originating from olivine structure LiFePO4 using efficient polymer structures is discussed. We forecast design principles for the polymer binders used in the high-performance LiFePO4 cathodes of Li-ion batteries. Finally, perspectives on the application of future binder designs for electrodes with poor conductivity are presented to provide possible design directions for chemical structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polyurethanes II)
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