Preparation and properties of novel biodegradable polyurethane networks based on castor oil and poly(ethylene glycol)

The impact of 1,2,3-triazoles in the design of functional coatings

This review article presents an overview of the application of 1,2,3-triazoles in the design of various high performance organic coatings with properties like anti-corrosive, anti-microbial, self-healing, hybrid nanocomposite, bio degradableetc.

Synthesis and characterization of gold nanotube/nanowire-polyurethane composite based on castor oil and polyethylene glycol

Gold nanotubes/nanowires (GNT/NW) were synthesized by using the template-assisted electrodeposition technique and mixed with castor oil-polyethylene glycol based polyurethane (PU) to fabricate porous composite scaffolds for biomedical application. 100 and 50 ppm of GNT/NW were used to synthesize composites. The composite scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Cell attachment on polyurethane-GNT/NW composites was investigated using fat-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Addition of 50 or 100 ppm GNT/NW had significant effects on thermal, mechanical, and cell attachment of polyurethane. Higher crosslink density and better cell attachment and proliferation were observed in polyurethane containing 50 ppm GNT/NW. The results revealed that GNT/NW formed hydrogen bonding with the polyurethane matrix and improved the thermomechanical properties of nanocomposites. Compared with pure PU, better cellular attachment on polyurethane-GNT/NW composites was observed resulting from the improved surface properties of composites.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel absorptive and antibacterial polyurethane membranes as wound dressing

Preparation and evaluation of new polyurethane membranes for wound dressing application was considered in this work. The membranes were prepared through amine curing reaction of epoxy-terminated polyurethane prepolymers and an antibacterial epoxy-functional quaternary ammonium compound (glycidyltriehtylammonium chloride, GTEACl. To render the prepared membranes to be highly absorptive of wound exudates, poly (ethylene glycol) polyols were introduced into the polyurethane networks. Evaluation of biocompatibity via both MTT assay and direct contact with two different cell lines (fibroblast and epidermal keratinocytes) reveled that membranes with appropriate loading of GTEACl showed proper biocompatibility. Promising antibacterial activity of the prepared membranes against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria was confirmed by both agar diffusion and shaking flask methods. The membranes with balanced crosslink density and ionic groups' concentration possessed appropriate hydrophilicity and water vapor transmission rate; therefore, they could prevent the accumulation of exudates and decrease the surface inflammation in the wounded area.

Recent advances in vegetable oil-based polyurethanes

Polyurethanes are among the most versatile polymers because of the wide range of monomers, particularly diols or polyols, that can be utilized in their synthesis. This Review focuses on the most recent advances made in the production of polyurethane materials from vegetable oils. Over the past several years, increasing attention has been given to the use of vegetable oils as feedstocks for polymeric materials, because they tend to be very inexpensive and available in large quantities. Using various procedures, a very broad range of polyols or diols and in some cases, poly- or diisocyanates, can be obtained from vegetable oils. The wide range of vegetable oil-based monomers leads to a wide variety of polyurethane materials, from flexible foams to ductile and rigid plastics. The thermal and mechanical properties of these vegetable oil-based polyurethanes are often comparable to or even better than those prepared from petroleum and are suitable for applications in various industries.

Biodegradable foam plastics based on castor oil

In this work, a simple but effective approach was proposed for preparing biodegradable plastic foams with a high content of castor oil. First of all, castor oil reacted with maleic anhydride to produce maleated castor oil (MACO) without the aid of any catalyst. Then plastic foams were synthesized through free radical initiated copolymerization between MACO and diluent monomer styrene. With changes in MACO/St ratio and species of curing initiator, mechanical properties of MACO foams can be easily adjusted. In this way, biofoams with comparable compressive stress at 25% strain as commercial polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared, while the content of castor oil can be as high as 61 wt %. The soil burial tests further proved that the castor oil based foams kept the biodegradability of renewable resources despite the fact that some petrol-based components were introduced.