Degradation studies on segmented polyurethanes prepared with HMDI, PCL and different chain extenders

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Science
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Biodegradable segmented polyurethanes (BSPUs) are promising materials for various applications.
• Understanding their degradation behavior is crucial for predicting their performance and lifespan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize two types of BSPUs with different chain extenders.
• To investigate the degradation behavior of these BSPUs in acidic, alkaline, and oxidative media.
• To correlate physicochemical properties with degradation outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of BSPUs using poly(caprolactone) soft segments and different chain extenders (butanediol or dithioerythritol).
• Characterization using FTIR, DSC, TGA, XRD, and SEM.
• Degradation studies in HCl, NaOH, and H(2)O(2) solutions.

Main Results:

• BSPU variants exhibited distinct physicochemical and hemocompatibility properties.
• Acidic and alkaline degradation led to polycaprolactone (PCL) band disappearance (FTIR).
• Oxidative conditions preserved PCL crystalline domains (DSC, XRD), while acidic/alkaline conditions enhanced decomposition temperatures (TGA) and altered surface morphology (SEM).

Conclusions:

• The choice of chain extender significantly impacts BSPU properties and degradation pathways.
• Acidic and alkaline environments promote more extensive degradation of the soft segment compared to oxidative conditions.
• BSPUs show tunable degradation profiles based on chemical environment and structural components.