Science and technology of polyurethane materials

This course has the main purpose to serve as an introduction of the polyurethane industry. Due to the intrinsic versatility of polyurethane materials, a special focus is made into the different industries where polyurethane is used as well as its main properties and characteristics. The contents are tackled without the rigor of presenting the complex chemistry behind each polyurethane application, but focusing on the key technical and engineering concepts which are fundamental to achieve it.

The course starts with a presentation of the most relevant concepts of polyurethanes, that its, the materials employed to manufacture these polymers. We fcos on the properties of the polyols and the isocyanates as well as key additives employed in the industry. Then, the main chemical reactions taking place are presented focusing on the key concepts and avoiding specific chemical details.

The subsequent sections are mostly associated to polyurethane applications. The course covers covers the most relevant applications such as rigid polyurethane foams, flexible polyurethane foams, elastomers, adhesives, thermoplastic polyurethanes as well as other relevant applications. Within each section, you'll be able to learn about the main materials used to attain a specific application, the technologies that are employed to manufacture polyurethane materials and the microstructure that it is required for each of these applications.