Development of ion conducting polyurethane-urea polymers for cold-chain pharmaceutical storage applications

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Pharmaceutical cold-chain logistics require selective and accurate temperature sensors for each product at low temperatures to ensure the safe transport and stability of temperature-sensitive drugs. Current sensors used for these applications are not able to detect the temperature of individual products due to high cost and material limitations, posing a significant challenge for biopharmaceutical logistics. To address this, we developed a novel ion-conducting polymer matrix based on poly(urethane-urea), designed specifically for low-temperature environments. Poly(urethane-urea) derivatives with varying molecular weights and hard segment contents were synthesized and characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to evaluate their resistance. The optimized polymer demonstrated hyteresis after exposure at temperatures around 30 °C with conductivity of approximately 10-6 S/cm, which is suitable for improving safety in cold-chain systems. These findings highlight the potential of ionically conductive polymers to extend the operational range of pharmaceutical storage materials, providing a promising solution for the secure and effective transport of sensitive low-temperature biopharmaceuticals.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 1
• 1. Cold-Chain system: Overview and Chanllenges 1
• 2. Need for low-temperature responsive sensors in cold-chain systems 3
• 3. Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs): Fundamental properties and potential applications 5
• 4. Advancements in solid polymer electrolytes for temperature-responsive applications 7
• 5. Objective of this study 10
• Chapter 2. EXPERIMENTAL SECTION 12
• 1. Materials 12
• 2. Measurement 13
• 3. Methods 14
• A. Synthetic procedure of Poly(tetramethylene ether)glycol(PTMG) based polyurethane (PUD) 14
• B. Synthesis of lithium salt-blended PUD (D-Li) 18
• C. Preparation of lithium salt-blended PUD (D-Li) films 19
• D. Electrolyte resistance analysis using EIS 19
• E. Rheological testing 20
• Chapter 3. RESULT & DISCUSSION 21
• 1. Synthesis and characterization of PUDs 21
• 2. Hydrogen bonding and microphase separation in PUDs 23
• A. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis 23
• B. Thermal Behavior Analysis via DSC 28
• C. Viscosity properties 32
• 3. Cation-Anion interactions and distance analysis 34
• 4. Performance evaluation of D-Li electrolytes as low-temperature responsive sensors 37
• Chapter 4. CONCLUSIONS 39