Recent Developments in Polyurethane Catalysis: Catalytic Mechanisms Review

Abstract Abstract In recent years polyurethanes have been confronted with several challenges. Some of these challenges have been overcome with the development of new catalysts. This review article covers recent developments in the field of polyurethane catalysis. An overview of the different types of catalysts, their applications, and their actuation mechanisms, followed by a general survey of the stability of one‐component polyurethane systems in which the latent catalyst is already incorporated is presented. Keywords: Polyurethane catalysisPrepolymer stabilityOrganotinTertiary aminesCatalytic mechanisms Acknowledgment This work was developed with the financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for the Science and Technology (Ph.D. scholarship SFRH/BD/2988/2000), whose contribution is acknowledged here.