Issue 38, 2020

Construction from destruction using a photo-triggered self-propagating degradable polyurethane as a one-pot epoxy

Abstract

We report a photo-triggered, base generating, base propagating degradable polyurethane that is triggered by 365 nm UV light irradiation. A small area of this polyurethane material can be exposed to 365 nm UV light irradiation to generate basic species that can initiate a base propagated degradation process within the bulk material leading to global degradation without the need for continous UV irradiation. The polymer was synthesized by a polycondensation polymerization of a small amount of o-nitrobenzene diol 2, a large amount of Fmoc-based diol 3, and hexylmethylene diisocyanate. Integrating both photosensitive and base-sensitive carbamate moieties into the polymer 1 backbone provides the UV light-triggered base propagating degradable polyurethane material. Degradation studies of polymer 1 using 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) suggest that initial UV irradiation triggers the degradation of the photosensitive o-nitrobenzene carbamate linkages, releasing a primary amino group that causes a cascade of amines to form by further degrading the remaining Fmoc carbamate groups. A bulk polyurethane film was prepared using Fmoc-based triol 4 as a monomer. UV-irradiation of a small localized area of the film initiates the propagation throughout, leading to efficient bulk degradation of the entire material. The amine degradation products could be utilized to make a one-pot epoxy adhesive, showing a potential upcycling application of this self-propagating degradable polyurethane system.

Graphical abstract: Construction from destruction using a photo-triggered self-propagating degradable polyurethane as a one-pot epoxy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
30 May 2020
Accepted
31 Aug 2020
First published
01 Sep 2020

Polym. Chem., 2020,11, 6215-6220

Author version available

Construction from destruction using a photo-triggered self-propagating degradable polyurethane as a one-pot epoxy

Y. Xu, E. G. Morado and S. C. Zimmerman, Polym. Chem., 2020, 11, 6215 DOI: 10.1039/D0PY00779J

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