Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Nov 15;16(22):3182.
doi: 10.3390/polym16223182.

A Review of Polyurethane Foams for Multi-Functional and High-Performance Applications

Huanhuan Dong  1 , Shujing Li  1 , Zhixin Jia  1 , Yuanfang Luo  1 , Yongjun Chen  1 , Jiang Jiang  2 , Sheng Ji  2
Affiliations
Review

A Review of Polyurethane Foams for Multi-Functional and High-Performance Applications

Huanhuan Dong et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) foams are cellular polymeric materials that have attracted much attention across various industries because of their versatile properties and potential for multifunctional applications. PU foams are involved in many innovations, especially in multi-functional and high-performance applications. Special attention is given to developing tailored PU foams for specific application needs. These foams have various applications including flame retardancy, sound absorption, radar absorption, EMI shielding, shape memory, and biomedical applications. The increasing demand for materials that can perform multiple functions while maintaining or enhancing their core properties has made PU foams a focal point of interest for engineers and researchers. This paper examines the challenges faced by the PU foam industry, particularly in developing multifunctional products, as well as the strategies for improving sustainability, such as producing PU foams from renewable resources and recycling existing materials.

Keywords: electromagnetic interference shielding; flame retardancy; polyurethane foams; sound absorption; sustainability.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Authors Jiang Jiang and Sheng Ji were employed by the company Justape New Material Technology Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of fabrication of coatings on the PU foams [19].
Figure 2
Figure 2
The synthesis of flame-retardant polyol [21].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic of modified PUS preparation process [29].
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) The components of PU foams with EG, (b) the crosslinking structure and foaming processes of the PU/EG foams [32].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic of EMI shielding mechanism [33].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Carbon-based fillers for EMI shielding effectiveness [33].
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Schematic of the sound absorption for PU foams. (b) Schematic of the energy consumption mechanisms of PU foams [40].
Figure 8
Figure 8
SEM images of PU foams with two gelling catalysts, and sound-damping performance of PU foams at various water contents [39].
Figure 9
Figure 9
SEM images of (a,b,g) PU foams, (c) PU foams with sonication. (d,e) Sound absorption performance [43]. (f) Scheme of microscopic GO. (h,i) PU foams with GO. (j) Sound absorption performance [44].
Figure 10
Figure 10
Structuring of lignocellulose biomass and structural formula of the component of PU foams [54].
Figure 11
Figure 11
Schematics of PU foams synthesis, dynamic bond exchange in PU foams, and structure of carbamate exchange catalyst [1].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Kim S., Li K., Alsbaiee A., Brutman J.P., Dichtel W.R. Circular reprocessing of thermoset polyurethane foams. Adv. Mater. 2023;35:2305387. doi: 10.1002/adma.202305387. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Obiechefu Z., Chibuzor O., Naidoo D., Hendrica M., Selby M. Comparison of biowaste fillers extracted from fish scales and collagen on the mechanical properties of high-density polyurethane foams. Polymers. 2024;16:2825. doi: 10.3390/polym16192825. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Yuan Z., Mahmood N., Schmidt J., Xu C. Depolymerization of lignins and their applications for the preparation of polyols and rigid polyurethane foams: A review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2016;60:317–329.
    1. Cyzio K., Lubczak J. Oligoetherols obtained from uric acid, glycidol, and alkylene carbonates and their use to obtain polyurethane foams of enhanced thermal resistance. Polym.-Plast. Technol. Eng. 2017;56:13–21. doi: 10.1080/03602559.2016.1211693. - DOI
    1. Wang Y., Cui K., Fang B., Wang F. Cost-effective fabrication of modified palygorskite-reinforced rigid polyurethane foam nanocomposites. Nanomaterials. 2022;12:609. doi: 10.3390/nano12040609. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources