For high-tech applications, polyurethane (PU) materials require additional surface properties and functionality, which can be achieved by incorporation of �clickable� groups in the PU structure, allowing for polymer post-modification via chemical coupling with desired molecules.1 By the introduction of functional diols in the PU process, we have developed new classes of functional cross-linked PU foam materials with alkyne, alkene or furan pendant or main-chain groups, which have been further modified with different desired click-reactants.Although click chemistry has been widely used in the functionalization of polymeric materials and surfaces, there have been few studies on surface modification using 'click' approaches of cellular polymers, such as foams. In this contribution, different 'click' reactions, including the copper(I)-catalyzed Huisgen azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC), thiol-ene and thiol-yne radical addition, and Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions were explored for surface functionalization of PU foams. A kinetic comparison study of the different chemistries used was performed, using in situ FT-IR and offline 1H NMR methods. The influence of different factors such as temperature, solvent, catalyst/initiator concentration and reactant excess was investigated2.This work not only reveals kinetic trends but also compares promising and limiting aspects of the different click/coupling pathways employed, which is envisaged to be also useful for functionalizing other cross-linked polymeric materials.1) (a) D. Fournier, B. G. De Geest, F. Du Prez, Polymer 2009  , 50, 5362; (b) D. Fournier, F. Du Prez, Macromolecules 2008 , 41, 4622.2) Le-Thu T. Nguyen, Jan Devroede, Kathleen Plasschaert, Laura Jonckheere, Nancy Haucourt, Filip E. Du Prez, Polym. Chem, 4  , 1546-1556 (2013)

Providing polyurethane foams with functionality: Kinetic comparison of different �click� and coupling reaction pathways

248th National Meeting (2014)

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