Bio-Based Polyurethanes and Their Applications
Yash Desai, Sagar Jariwala, Ram K. Gupta
Abstract
The inherent physical properties of polyurethanes (PU) offer varied applications in the form of adhesives, coatings, and foams. Despite their properties and applications in several fields such as automotive, thermal insulation, biomedical, and shape memory, there is excessive use of non-renewable resources as raw materials. This chapter covers the development of bio-based materials for distinct applications and provides a broad view of the main aspects of PU. The first section emphasizes polymer, PU, and the importance of bio-based PU in everyday life. The second section covers the main components used for synthesizing PU along with their chemistry surrounding the uses of such materials. The third section discusses the applications of bio-based polyurethane materials accompanied by different composite materials and isocyanates. This chapter is written to provide young scientists with knowledge of some notable works in PUs and PU foams that can be used to enlighten future projects.