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Published on: January 15, 2018
Biocompatibility of poly(ether)urethane-gold nanocomposites
Shan-Hui Hsu1, Cheng-Ming Tang, Hsiang-Jung Tseng
1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part A
|July 28, 2006
Summary
Gold nanoparticles enhance waterborne polyurethane (PU) biocompatibility and stability. The optimal PU-Au nanocomposite (43.5 ppm gold) shows reduced inflammation, bacterial adhesion, and oxidative degradation, improving material performance.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites are explored for biomedical applications.
- Previous work indicated optimal properties for PU with 43.5 ppm gold nanoparticles (Au NPs).
- In vitro characterization is needed to confirm biocompatibility and stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vitro surface morphology, biocompatibility, oxidative degradation, and free radical scavenging of PU-Au nanocomposites.
- To correlate material properties with gold nanoparticle concentration.
- To identify the optimal gold concentration for enhanced performance.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of polyether-type waterborne polyurethane (PU) incorporated with varying amounts of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs, ~5 nm).
- In vitro characterization using atomic force microscopy (AFM) for surface morphology.
- Assessment of biocompatibility through cellular proliferation, platelet and monocyte activation assays, and bacterial adhesion tests.
- Evaluation of oxidative degradation and free radical scavenging ability.
Main Results:
- The PU-Au nanocomposite with 43.5 ppm gold (PU-Au 43.5 ppm) exhibited altered surface morphology compared to pure PU and other concentrations.
- PU-Au 43.5 ppm demonstrated significantly enhanced cellular proliferation and reduced platelet/monocyte activation and bacterial adhesion.
- Oxidative degradation was inhibited in PU-Au 43.5 ppm, correlating with increased free radical scavenging capacity.
Conclusions:
- The optimal concentration of 43.5 ppm gold nanoparticles in waterborne polyurethane significantly improves surface morphology and biocompatibility.
- This enhanced biocompatibility is linked to reduced inflammatory responses and bacterial adhesion.
- The gold nanoparticle incorporation also enhances oxidative stability through improved free radical scavenging, making PU-Au nanocomposites promising for biomedical applications.

