Polyurethanes: Versatile Materials and Sustainable Problem Solvers for Today's Challenges

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 52; no. 36; pp. 9422 - 9441
• Main Authors: Engels, Hans-Wilhelm, Pirkl, Hans-Georg, Albers, Reinhard, Albach, Rolf W., Krause, Jens, Hoffmann, Andreas, Casselmann, Holger, Dormish, Jeff
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 02.09.2013; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: adhesives; coatings; Demand; elastomers; Energy management; flexible foams; Lightweight; Matrix materials; Polymer matrix composites; Polyurethane resins; rigid foams; Solvers; Weight reduction; flexible foams; coatings; adhesives; elastomers; rigid foams
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201302766

Polyurethanes are the only class of polymers that display thermoplastic, elastomeric, and thermoset behavior depending on their chemical and morphological makeup. In addition to compact polyurethanes, foamed variations in particular are very widespread, and they achieve their targeted properties at very low weights. The simple production of sandwich structures and material composites in a single processing step is a key advantage of polyurethane technology. The requirement of energy and resource efficiency increasingly demands lightweight structures. Polyurethanes can serve this requirement by acting as matrix materials or as flexible adhesives for composites. Polyurethanes are indispensable when it comes to high‐quality decorative coatings or maintaining the value of numerous objects. They are extremely adaptable and sustainable problem solvers for today’s challenges facing our society, all of which impose special demands on materials. The recipe for success in polyurethane chemistry consists of the diversity of the available polymer building blocks and the resulting range of variation in material properties and applications. The challenges of our age, such as energy and resource efficiency, can be met with the outstanding durability of the fabricated products, the protection and decoration of costly articles, and as matrix materials for lightweight applications.