Tailored poly(ethylene) glycol dimethacrylate based shape memory polymer for orthopedic applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are stimuli-responsive materials capable of recovering their original shape.
• Their unique properties make them promising for smart biomedical devices.
• Tailoring SMPs for biocompatibility and specific thermal properties is crucial for medical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a biocompatible acrylate-based shape-memory polymer with a glass transition temperature (Tg) close to human body temperature.
• To investigate the effect of precursor and crosslinker weight percentages on the polymer's properties.
• To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the synthesized SMP for potential biomedical use.

Main Methods:

• Methacrylate-based shape-memory polymer networks were synthesized using free radical polymerization.
• The weight percentages of t-butyl acrylate (tBA) and poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) were varied.
• Glass transition temperature (Tg) was measured, and cytotoxicity was assessed using osteosarcoma (MG-63) and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines.

Main Results:

• The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the SMP increased from 28°C to 45°C with increasing tBA content.
• An SMP synthesized with 70wt% tBA and 30wt% PEGDMA exhibited a Tg close to human body temperature.
• The synthesized SMP demonstrated non-cytotoxic behavior when tested with MG-63 and HaCaT cells.

Conclusions:

• A biocompatible shape-memory polymer with a tunable Tg near human body temperature was successfully synthesized.
• The developed SMP is non-cytotoxic, indicating its safety for biological applications.
• This material is a promising soft substrate for thermomechanical stimulation in orthopedic SLAP medical devices.