Novel Applications of Urethane/Urea Chemistry in the Field of Biomaterials

Polyurethanes have been widely used as biomaterials since the 1960s due to their wide range of tunable physical, chemical, mechanical, biological, and medical properties. They have been used in building various applications including pacemaker lead insulation, artificial veins and arteries, catheters, and coatings for silicone breast implants. Polyurethanes comprise a family of materials with urethane linkages along the large molecular chains. Broadly, urethane/urea chemistry refers to the reactions between isocyanates/nonisocyanates and alcohols/amines that form urethane and urea bonds. Here, we will introduce different citrate-based urethane-doped elastomers developed in our lab and their applications in biomedical engineering. In addition, we will introduce waterborne polyurethane biomaterials, describe nonisocyanate urethane/urea reactions, and review nontraditional applications of isocyanate-based and nonisocyanate urethane/urea chemistry in polymer synthesis, polymer surface functionalization, polymer cross-linking, and bioconjugation.