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Published on: February 1, 2016
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Development of dopant-free conductive bioelastomers
Cancan Xu1,2, Yihui Huang1,2, Gerardo Yepez3
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA.
Scientific Reports
|October 1, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a novel conductive biodegradable polyurethane elastomer (DCPU) without dopants. This flexible material shows excellent conductivity, biocompatibility, and degradation, making it ideal for tissue repair and advanced bioelectronics.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Tissue Engineering
- Bioelectronics
Background:
- Conductive biodegradable materials are crucial for biomedical applications like tissue repair and bioelectronics.
- Existing materials often use dopants or multiple components, leading to instability and potential toxicity.
- There is a need for soft, elastic, conductive, and biodegradable materials for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a unicomponent, dopant-free conductive polyurethane elastomer (DCPU).
- To evaluate the mechanical properties, conductivity, biodegradability, and cytocompatibility of the novel DCPU.
- To assess the potential of DCPU for tissue repair and bioelectronic applications.
Main Methods:
- Chemically linked biodegradable segments, conductive segments, and dopant molecules into a single polymer chain to create DCPU.
- Fabricated DCPU into films and porous scaffolds.
- Evaluated mechanical properties (elasticity, conductivity), degradation (enzymatic, hydrolysis), electrical stability in physiological environments, cytocompatibility using mouse 3T3 fibroblasts, and in vivo tissue compatibility via subcutaneous implantation.
Main Results:
- DCPU films demonstrated robust mechanical properties with high elasticity and conductivity.
- The material was effectively degraded enzymatically and by hydrolysis, with non-toxic degradation products.
- DCPU exhibited excellent electrical stability in physiological conditions and good cytocompatibility, supporting fibroblast survival and proliferation. In vivo studies showed good tissue compatibility with cell infiltration.
Conclusions:
- The developed dopant-free conductive polyurethane elastomer (DCPU) offers a promising combination of flexibility, elasticity, conductivity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility.
- DCPU's processability into scaffolds further enhances its utility.
- This novel material holds significant potential for applications in tissue repair and soft/stretchable/wearable bioelectronics.
