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Aliphatic Polyethers: Classical Polymers for the 21st Century
Author(s) -
Klein Rebecca,
Wurm Frederik R
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201500013
Subject(s) - oxetane , polymer , polymer science , epoxide , polymerization , materials science , polymer chemistry , epoxy , tetrahydrofuran , organic chemistry , chemistry , catalysis , solvent
Polyethers—polymers with the structural element (R'‐O‐R) n in their backbone—are an old class of polymers which were already used at the time of the ancient Egyptians. However, still today these materials are highly important with applications in all areas of our life, reaching from the automotive and paper industry to cosmetics and biomedical applications. In this Review, different aliphatic polyethers like poly(epoxide)s, poly(oxetane)s, and poly(tetrahydrofuran) are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on the history, the polymerization techniques (industrially and in academia), the properties, the applications as well as recent developments of these materials.