Synthesis and characterization of iodinated polyurethane with inherent radiopacity

The synthesis and characterization of polyurethane (PU) with excellent radiopacity for medical and allied applications are reported. Bisphenol-A (BPA) was iodinated to obtain 4,4'-isopropylidinedi-(2,6-diiodophenol) (IBPA) which was used as a chain extender for the preparation of a radiopaque PU. The PU was prepared by reacting 4,4'-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI), poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG) and IBPA in 2.2:1.2:1 molecular ratio and is characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetry (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and X-radiography. X-ray images showed that the PU prepared using IBPA as the chain extender is highly radiopaque. An in vitro cytotoxicity test using L929 mouse fibroblast cells shows that the PU is non-cytotoxic. The outlined synthesis of a PU with radiocontrast properties opens up the possibility of synthesizing many different kinds of radiopaque PUs with desirable range of physical properties exploiting the versatility in their chemical synthesis.