Hydroxyethylcellulose-g-poly(lactic acid) blended polyurethanes: Preparation, characterization and biological studies

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry

Background:

• Polyurethanes (PUs) are versatile polymers with broad applications.
• Developing biodegradable and biocompatible PUs is crucial for biomedical uses.
• Grafting polymers onto existing backbones can modify material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel biodegradable and biocompatible hydroxyethylcellulose-g-poly(lactic acid) (HEC-g-PLA) blended polyurethanes.
• To investigate the effect of varying chain extender ratios on material properties.
• To evaluate the biological performance of the synthesized PU materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of NCO-terminated polyurethane prepolymer from hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI).
• Chain extension of prepolymer using HEC-g-PLA and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) at varying molar ratios.
• Characterization using FTIR, 1H SS NMR, XRD, TGA, and DSC.
• Assessment of biological activities including antibacterial, anti-biofilm, biocompatibility, and non-mutagenicity.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of HEC-g-PLA blended polyurethanes.
• Characterization confirmed the successful incorporation of grafted HEC into the PU backbone.
• Thermal analysis revealed distinct thermal behavior based on chain extender ratios.
• Biological testing demonstrated significant improvements in antibacterial activity, anti-biofilm inhibition, biocompatibility, and non-mutagenicity with increasing HEC-g-PLA content.

Conclusions:

• The incorporation of HEC-g-PLA into the polyurethane backbone significantly enhances its biological properties.
• The developed materials exhibit promising potential for biomedical applications requiring biodegradability and biocompatibility.
• The ratio of chain extenders critically influences the biological performance of the synthesized polyurethanes.