Tailoring Amphiphilic Polyurethane Coatings: Synthesis and Surface Dynamics for Biomedical Applications

The ability to engineer polyurethane coatings with tunable surface properties is critical for applications requiring controlled hydrophilicity, including biomedical devices, antifouling surfaces, and smart coatings. Amphiphilic polyurethanes, which incorporate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments, offer a promising solution for achieving such functionality. In this review, we explore the synthesis and characterization of thermoset amphiphilic polyurethane coatings based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polycarbonate diol (PC). The polymer network was crosslinked using hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) to enhance mechanical stability and restrict PEG migration. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) confirmed the successful formation of urethane linkages, while contact angle measurements assessed the coatings' hydrophilicity. Results demonstrated that increasing PEG content led to a significant reduction in water contact angle, improving surface wettability. However, due to the crosslinked nature of the thermoset system, PEG mobility was restricted, leading to a lower degree of hydrophilicity compared to thermoplastic counterparts. This study highlights the importance of balancing polymer composition and network architecture to achieve desired surface properties, making thermoset amphiphilic polyurethane coatings promising candidates for biomedical and functional surface applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Polyurethane ، amphiphilicity ، coating