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Polymers
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Advances in Polyurethane Synthesis and Applications
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Advances in Polyurethane Synthesis and Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 1269

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dominik Wołosz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: isocyanate-free polyurethanes; CO2-based polymers; sustainable polyurethanes; amphiphilic polyurethanes; polyurethane foams; vitrimers; covalent adaptable networks; recycling and structure-property relationships
Dr. Magdalena Mazurek-Budzyńska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: polyurethanes; electrospinning; material characterization; biomaterials; CO2-based polymers; non-isocyanate polyurethanes; biodegradation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polyurethanes are a specific class of polymer materials with versatile properties, including thermoplastic, elastomeric, or thermoset behaviors. Their exceptional performance requirements can be achieved by manipulating their chemical structure and composition. These materials have widespread applications in everyday life, such as foams, adhesives, coatings, and paints, thereby playing a significant role in driving the global polymer market.

The development of polyurethanes has evolved over the years, with traditional synthesis relying on toxic and petrochemical-derived isocyanates. Recent advancements, however, focus on more sustainable and eco-friendly synthetic methods, incorporating isocyanate-free, bio-based, and CO2-derived precursors. A key aspect of current research emphasizes circularity, renewable resources, and application-oriented properties to position polyurethanes as essential materials in addressing both global material and environmental challenges. Notable innovations in the circular economy include the development of polyurethane covalent adaptable networks and vitrimers, which enable the recycling and reuse of the material.

This Special Issue invites high-quality original research and review papers focusing on the diverse aspects of polyurethane materials, including their synthesis, characterization, structure–property relationships, processing, applications, and recycling.

Dr. Dominik Wołosz
Dr. Magdalena Mazurek-Budzyńska
Guest Editors

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

  • polyurethane materials
  • bio-derived/sustainable polyurethanes
  • isocyanate-free polyurethanes
  • polyurethane foams
  • vitrimers or covalent adaptable networks
  • amphiphilic polyurethanes
  • structure–property relationships
  • polyurethane applications
  • electrospinning of polyurethanes
  • recycling

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 7290 KB  
Article
Structure and Properties of Sprayed Polyurethane Bio-Based Foams Produced Under Varying Fabrication Parameters
by Grzegorz Węgrzyk, Dominik Grzęda, Milena Leszczyńska, Laima Vēvere, Uģis Cābulis and Joanna Ryszkowska
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2522; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182522 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
The influence of both mixing pressure and substrate temperature on the structure and properties of spray polyurethane foams produced with a high content (80%) of tall oil-based polyol was investigated. The use of a renewable feedstock such as tall oil polyol aligns with [...] Read more.
The influence of both mixing pressure and substrate temperature on the structure and properties of spray polyurethane foams produced with a high content (80%) of tall oil-based polyol was investigated. The use of a renewable feedstock such as tall oil polyol aligns with the principles of sustainable development by reducing the carbon footprint and minimizing the environmental impact of the production process. The research focused on identifying the relationships between process parameters and the resulting materials’ thermal insulation properties, physico-mechanical performance, thermal behavior, cellular structure, and chemical composition. The results demonstrated that increasing the mixing pressure (from 12.5 to 17.5 MPa) and substrate temperature (from 40 to 55 °C) led to a reduction in average pore diameter, an increase in closed-cell content up to 94.5% and improved structural homogeneity. The thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) ranged from 18.55 to 22.30 mW·m−1·K−1 while apparent density varied between 44.0 and 45.5 kg·m−3. Higher mixing pressure positively affected compressive strength, whereas elevated substrate temperature reduced this parameter. Brittleness, water uptake, and dimensional stability remained at favorable levels and showed no significant correlation with processing conditions. These findings confirm the high quality of the materials and highlight their potential as sustainable, environmentally friendly insulation foams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polyurethane Synthesis and Applications)
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20 pages, 10734 KB  
Article
Viscoelastic Foams with Enhanced Fire Resistance Using Additive and Reactive Flame Retardants
by Grzegorz Węgrzyk, Dominik Grzęda, Milena Leszczyńska, Anna Bryśkiewicz, Katarzyna Bulanda, Mariusz Oleksy and Joanna Ryszkowska
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2459; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182459 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 400
Abstract
The influence of non-halogenated additive flame retardants, expandable graphite (EG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP)—as well as a reactive phosphorus-containing polyol, on the flammability, thermal stability, physico-mechanical performance, and morphology of viscoelastic polyurethane foams (VEFs) was investigated. For this purpose, a series of polyurethane [...] Read more.
The influence of non-halogenated additive flame retardants, expandable graphite (EG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP)—as well as a reactive phosphorus-containing polyol, on the flammability, thermal stability, physico-mechanical performance, and morphology of viscoelastic polyurethane foams (VEFs) was investigated. For this purpose, a series of polyurethane foams incorporating both additive and reactive flame retardants was synthesized and analyzed. The incorporation of flame retardants led to a substantial enhancement of fire resistance, as evidenced by an increase in the limiting oxygen index (LOI) to 28–31%, achievement of the UL-94 V0 flammability rating, and a 92% reduction in peak heat release rate (pHRR) compared to the unmodified reference foam. Alterations in mechanical performance were correlated with structural changes both at the microscopic and molecular level, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polyurethane Synthesis and Applications)
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