Sustainable Polyurethanes: From Renewable Building Blocks to Circular Materials
S Caillol, C Bakkali‐Hassani, X Dong, K Jin, TE Long, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 2026, 227 (19), e70348
The year 2026 marks a significant milestone in the history of polymer science: the 90th anniversary of the pioneering experiments conducted by Otto Bayer in 1936, which laid the foundation for polyurethane chemistry and led to the first polyurethane patent in 1937. Few polymer families have experienced such remarkable scientific and industrial development over nine decades. From their initial conception as versatile synthetic materials, polyurethanes have evolved into one of the most important classes of polymers worldwide, with applications spanning flexible and rigid foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, composites, textiles, electronics, transportation, construction, and biomedical devices. Polyurethanes now represent the sixth largest family of commercial polymers, and the timing is right to enhance their sustainability and circularity for broader impact.
Carbamate-Containing Decrosslinkers for Reactive Melt Extrusion Deconstruction of Crosslinked Polyurethane Composites
JA Nettles, C Williamson, LZ Hessefort, K Gordon, TE Long, K Jin, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 2026, 227 (10), e00494
Influence of ACOF-1 loading on the structure and performance of Pebax-based mixed matrix membranes for CO2 separation from CH4
A Jafari, A Rehman, JE Lopez-Cazares, K Jin, Z Jahan, JYS Lin, Separation and Purification Technology, 2026, 138309
Phase morphology–structure–property–recyclability relationships of dynamically crosslinked thiol–ene photopolymers
M Chen, S Alfarhan, R Stockwell, K Jin, RSC Applied Polymers, 2026, 4 (3), 1015-1027
Influence of a Covalent Network Structure on the Vat Photopolymerization of Poly (styrene‑b‑isoprene‑b‑styrene)(ABA) Latex Interpenetrating Networks
JA Nettles, G Nayyar, R Zhang, K Jin, TE Long, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2026, 65 (9), 4968-4977
Reactive Melt Extrusion for Polymer Deconstruction and Upcycling
JA Nettles, TE Long, K Jin, JACS Au, 2026, 6 (2), 720
Sustainable vat photopolymerization of complex functional structures with fast dissolvable and recyclable supports
T Tang, PK Nawab, P Prabhudesai, S Alfarhan, I Pesqueira, K. VanWormer, J. Li, D. Li, K. Jin, X. Li, Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 2025, 20 (1), 2499452
Synthesis and water-vapor/air separation properties of microporous ACOF-1 membranes with enhanced crystallinity via coupled interfacial polymerization and mild solvent-vapor-assisted annealing
JE Lopez-Cazares, GR Nile, K Jin, JYS Lin, Journal of Membrane Science, 2025, 736, 124666
Dynamically Cross‐Linked Semicrystalline Thiol–Ene Photopolymers for Additive Manufacturing of Recyclable and Adaptive Materials
S Alfarhan, M Chen, J Huish, K Jin, Small, 2025, 21 (33), 2505122
Mechanically strong and photothermally active covalent organic framework nanocomposite aerogels for applications in gas adsorption
X Tong, BD Ridenour, A Saji Kumar, S Feng, J Nettles, JYS Lin, S Yang, K. Jin, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2025, 8 (11), 5815-5828
3d Printed Electrochemical Sensors with Femtosecond Laser Treatment for Cellphone-Based Portable Detection
Y Dou, K Li, H Sun, K Bi, C Zhu, Z Chen, K Jin, W Kang, X Zhao, Q Nian, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2025, 524, 168944
List of Patent
- Method for producing and chemically recycling a crosslinked thiol-based photopolymer, K Jin, S Alfarhan, US Patent 12,649,841, 2026
- Method for characterizing melting transition and crystallization in a semicrystalline polymer, K Jin, R Nile, US Patent 12,625,073, 2026
- Method for upcycling polyurethane thermosets into thermoplastics via small-molecule carbamate-assisted decrosslinking extrusion, K Jin, T Long, J Nettles, US Patent App. 19/224,616, 2025
- Urethane exchange catalysts and methods for reprocessing cross-linked polyurethane foams, DJ Fortman, WR Dichtel, DT Sheppard, K Jin, CJ Ellison, US Patent 12,325,778, 2025
- Cross-linked non-wovens produced by melt blowing reversible polymer networks, CJ Ellison, K Jin, FS Bates, WC Haberkamp, K Wang, US Patent App. 15/734,849, 2021
- Reprocessable cross-linked network polymers with alkoxyamine dynamic covalent bonds, JM Torkelson, K Jin, L Li, US Patent 10,618,991, 2020