Question: I see a lot of job advertisements for polyurethane chemists. Why the sudden interest?
Answer: My long academic and industrial background has been mainly in acrylic and epoxy adhesives. However, in recent years, polyurethane chemists have made great strides to make polyurethanes that are excellent alternatives to the established technologies in adhesives, sealants, and coatings. Although polyurethanes can be formulated to be rigid polymers, their most useful property has always been the ability to provide tough or flexible systems that bond a range of surfaces.