Synthesis, properties, and applications of ion-containing polyurethane segmented copolymers

Despite the well-established foundation of polyurethane chemistry in both industry and academia, research continues at a vigorous pace to refine synthetic processes and discover new functional materials. Incorporating ionic groups into polymers is a synthetic parameter capable of tailoring polymer properties and enabling emerging technologies. This review focuses on recent effort in the field of ion-containing segmented polyurethane copolymers. Multiple synthetic strategies to incorporate both cationic and anionic sites, including a particular focus on waterborne polyurethane dispersions and green synthetic methods, are examined. Fundamental structure-property relationships based on ionic structure, content, and placement are explored and many applications, including biomedical products and polymer electrolytes for energy devices are discussed.