title: Self-repairable polyurethane networks by atmospheric carbon dioxide and water.
abstract: Sugar moieties were incorporated into cross-linked polyurethane (PUR) networks in an effort to achieve self-repairing in the presence of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). When methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (MGP) molecules are reacted with hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer (HDI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to form cross-linked MGP-polyurethane (PUR) networks, these materials are capable of self-repairing in air. This process requires atmospheric amounts of CO2 and H2O, thus resembling plant behavior of carbon fixation during the photosynthesis cycle. Molecular processes responsible for this unique self-repair process involve physical diffusion of cleaved network segments as well as the formation of carbonate and urethane linkages. Unlike plants, MGP-PUR networks require no photo-initiated reactions, and they are thus capable of repair in darkness under atmospheric conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (USA).
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Marek W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Urban
keywords: carbohydrates; carbon dioxide; carbonate formation; polyurethanes; self-repairing polymers