Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?

Abstract Polyurethanes are facing health and environmental problems related to their chemistry, processing and end-of-life management. This review summarizes the most recent strategies within the framework of sustainability and circularity related to the use of polyurethanes with low environmental i...

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Main Authors: Giulio Malucelli, Alessandra Lorenzetti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:npj Materials Sustainability
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-025-00064-w
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author Giulio Malucelli
Alessandra Lorenzetti
author_facet Giulio Malucelli
Alessandra Lorenzetti
author_sort Giulio Malucelli
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Polyurethanes are facing health and environmental problems related to their chemistry, processing and end-of-life management. This review summarizes the most recent strategies within the framework of sustainability and circularity related to the use of polyurethanes with low environmental impact, focusing on the possibility of performing their synthesis by replacing fossil-based building blocks with renewable ones, designing vitrimeric polyurethanes, and managing their end-of-life through enzymatic degradation or biodegradation processes.
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issn 2948-1775
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj Materials Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-3eacaf5d760a4e92b1403de3b4c1c5bc2025-08-20T02:37:58ZengNature Portfolionpj Materials Sustainability2948-17752025-06-013112510.1038/s44296-025-00064-wSustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?Giulio Malucelli0Alessandra Lorenzetti1Politecnico di Torino Dept. of Applied Science and Technology, Viale Teresa Michel 5Università di Padova, Dept. of Industrial Engineering, Via F. Marzolo 9Abstract Polyurethanes are facing health and environmental problems related to their chemistry, processing and end-of-life management. This review summarizes the most recent strategies within the framework of sustainability and circularity related to the use of polyurethanes with low environmental impact, focusing on the possibility of performing their synthesis by replacing fossil-based building blocks with renewable ones, designing vitrimeric polyurethanes, and managing their end-of-life through enzymatic degradation or biodegradation processes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-025-00064-w
spellingShingle Giulio Malucelli
Alessandra Lorenzetti
Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
npj Materials Sustainability
title Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
title_full Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
title_fullStr Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
title_full_unstemmed Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
title_short Sustainability in polyurethanes: old hat or new strategy for future developments?
title_sort sustainability in polyurethanes old hat or new strategy for future developments
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-025-00064-w
work_keys_str_mv AT giuliomalucelli sustainabilityinpolyurethanesoldhatornewstrategyforfuturedevelopments
AT alessandralorenzetti sustainabilityinpolyurethanesoldhatornewstrategyforfuturedevelopments