Novel optically active polyurethanes (BPUs) based on chiral 1,1'-binaphthol were synthesized via direct hydrogen transfer addition polymerization. The polymers were analyzed by FTIR, H-1 NMR, DSC-TGA, CD spectra. The results showed that the specific rotation [alpha](D)(25) were -78.0 degrees and +54.6 degrees for the S-BPU and R-BPU respectively, and these polymers showed better thermal stability. The circular dichroism spectra of the chiral polymers were almost identical except that they gave opposite signals at each wavelength, and the infrared emissivity values of the S-BPU and R-BPU were 0.618 and 0.682, they displayed low infrared emissivity. Meantime the polymers implanted with PEG group exhibit better solubility, however thermal stability reduced to some extent. Some properties of the new optically active polyurethanes were reported. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 115: 2190-2196, 2010