Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a class of <a href="/facts/Polymer/eF32E50K">polymers</a> composed of <a href="/facts/Organic_chemistry/djxhxaNg">organic</a> units joined by <a href="/facts/Carbamate/3lNmyxgQ">carbamate</a> (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as <a href="/facts/Polyethylene/LaaAf4cn">polyethylene</a> and <a href="/facts/Polystyrene/dfIVntty">polystyrene</a>, polyurethane term does not refer to the single type of polymer but a group of polymers. Unlike <a href="/facts/Polyethylene/LaaAf4cn">polyethylene</a> and <a href="/facts/Polystyrene/dfIVntty">polystyrene</a>, polyurethanes can be produced from a wide range of starting materials resulting various polymers within the same group. This chemical variety produces polyurethanes with different chemical structures leading to many <a href="/facts/List_of_polyurethane_applications/BxeD6S09">different applications</a>. These include rigid and flexible <a href="/facts/Foam/kGrXWWcb">foams</a>, and coatings, adhesives, <a href="/facts/Potting_(electronics)/suke50Yp">electrical potting</a> compounds, and fibers such as <a href="/facts/Spandex/rcId3DYb">spandex</a> and <a href="/facts/Polyurethane_laminate/Pb69bKbl">polyurethane laminate</a> (PUL). Foams are the largest application accounting for 67% of all polyurethane produced in 2016.
A polyurethane is typically produced by reacting a polymeric <a href="/facts/Isocyanate/YYDoDBgp">isocyanate</a> with a <a href="/facts/Polyol/zfygfNrW">polyol</a>. Since a polyurethane contains two types of monomers, which polymerize one after the other, they are classed as <a href="/facts/Copolymer/35D97DuV">alternating copolymers</a>. Both the isocyanates and polyols used to make a polyurethane contain two or more <a href="/facts/Functional_group/GXkSPsjM">functional groups</a> per molecule.
Global production in 2019 was 25 million metric tonnes, accounting for about 6% of all polymers produced in that year.

Polyurethane open-in-new

Polyurethane