Waterborne polyurethane and its nanocomposites: a mini-review for anti-corrosion coating, flame retardancy, and biomedical applications

Waterborne polyurethanes (WPU) are developed to address the environmental and health concerns of their solvent-borne counterparts. The versatile chemistry of PU enables the tailoring of their properties for a broad range of applications. The physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the WPU depend on the choice of monomer and monomer ratio. This mini-review discusses the synthesis of WPU and the influence of the choice of materials on their properties. Besides, the various strategies to improve the properties are highlighted. Finally, the structure–property relationship is emphasized for their end-use applications. Graphical abstract Influence of monomer choice and ratio on the properties of water-borne polyurethane with the emphasis on structure–property-performance relationship