A new, non-toxic, curing agent for synthetic polyolefins.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomedical Materials Science
• Organic Synthesis

Background:

• Current synthetic biomedical materials often utilize sulfur-cured polymers.
• Accelerated sulfur systems can raise concerns regarding toxicity and biocompatibility.
• There is a need for non-toxic curing agents in biomedical polymer applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate benzocyclobutene (BCB) derivatives as non-toxic curing agents.
• To replace accelerated sulfur systems in synthetic biomedical materials.
• To evaluate BCB-cured polymers for potential use in artificial spinal discs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polymers composed of 1-hexene, allyl-benzocyclobutene (BCB), and 5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene (MHD) or 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene (MOD).
• Cured polymers via reactions involving BCB to form carbon-carbon crosslinks.
• Conducted preliminary cytotoxicity tests and evaluated physical and mechanical properties.

Main Results:

• BCB derivatives effectively cured the investigated polymers.
• The BCB-cured materials exhibited non-toxic profiles in preliminary tests.
• Physical and mechanical properties of BCB-cured polymers were comparable to sulfur-cured counterparts.
• Prototype artificial spinal discs were fabricated and implanted in patients.

Conclusions:

• Benzocyclobutene (BCB) derivatives show potential as non-toxic curing agents for synthetic biomedical polymers.
• BCB-cured materials possess suitable properties for biomedical applications, including artificial spinal discs.
• This research offers a safer alternative to traditional sulfur-cured systems in medical device development.