Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Ion‐Containing Polyurethane Segmented Copolymers

Despite the well‐established foundation of polyurethane chemistry in both industry and academia, research continues at a vigorous pace to refine synthetic processes and discover new functional materials. Incorporating ionic groups into polymers is a synthetic parameter capable of tailoring polymer properties and enabling emerging technologies. This review focuses on recent effort in the field of ion‐containing segmented polyurethane copolymers. Multiple synthetic strategies to incorporate both cationic and anionic sites, including a particular focus on waterborne polyurethane dispersions and green synthetic methods, are examined. Fundamental structure–property relationships based on ionic structure, content, and placement are explored and many applications, including biomedical products and polymer electrolytes for energy devices are discussed.