Transition-metal-free synthesis of supramolecular ionic alginate-based polyurethanes

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers 2017-02, Vol.157, p.1949-1954
• Main Authors: Daemi, Hamed, Barikani, Mehdi, Sardon, Haritz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alginate; Ionic network; Metal-free; Supramolecular polyurethane; Thermal properties
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.11.086

[Display omitted] •Novel alginate-based supramolecular ionic polyurethanes (ASPU) were prepared.•Sulfated alginate was used as a chain extender in polyurethane structure for the first time.•All of ASPU were synthesized under transition-metal-free conditions.•The ASPU showed superior thermal stability at elevated temperatures.•Properties of ASPU were extremely dependent on ionic nature of polyurethanes. Novel high molecular weight alginate-based supramolecular ionic polyurethane (SPU) networks were prepared via the reaction of chemically modified polyanionic alginate and isocyanate-terminated cationic oligourethanes under transition-metal-free conditions. Alginate, a naturally occurring polyanionic carbohydrate diol possessing carboxylate groups, was considered as both chain extender and the anionic part of SPU network. The tailor-made, ionically crosslinked linear alginate-based SPUs illustrated superior thermal stability with a decomposition temperature around 500°C at 10% weight loss which specializes them as highly thermally stable, wonder materials compared to the today’s high-tech products.