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Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold
Published on: October 23, 2015
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Biodegradable shape memory polymers functionalized with anti-biofouling interpenetrating polymer networks.
I Dueramae1, M Nishida, T Nakaji-Hirabayashi
1Frontier Research Core for Life Sciences, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama-shi, Toyama 930-8555, Japan. nakaji@eng.u-toyama.ac.jp.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|April 9, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed novel biodegradable shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) with excellent mechanical and shape recovery properties. These advanced SMPUs, when combined with a zwitterionic polymer, exhibit significant anti-biofouling capabilities, making them promising for biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Biomedical devices require materials with specific mechanical, degradation, and surface properties.
- Shape memory polymers (SMPs) offer dynamic capabilities, but often lack biodegradability or biocompatibility.
- Developing advanced SMPs with enhanced functionalities is crucial for next-generation medical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel biodegradable shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) with high mechanical performance.
- To investigate the shape memory behavior and degradation profiles of the developed SMPUs.
- To enhance the SMPUs with anti-biofouling properties for biomedical applications using an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) approach.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of SMPUs using poly(ε-caprolactone-co-γ-butyrolactone) (PCLBL), diol/triol chain extenders, and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate.
- Mechanical testing and shape recovery assessments at 80 °C.
- Interpenetration of SMPU sheets with poly(carboxymethyl betaine) (PCMB) via the IPN method.
- Surface characterization using water contact angle measurements.
- Evaluation of protein adsorption and cell adhesion on modified SMPU surfaces.
Main Results:
- All synthesized SMPUs demonstrated high mechanical properties.
- SMPU sheets prepared with a triol-chain extender showed complete shape recovery at 80 °C.
- Degradation products of the SMPUs were found to be non-toxic.
- PCMB incorporation significantly reduced surface water contact angle from 87° to ~30°.
- The resulting SMPU-IPN sheets exhibited substantial suppression of protein adsorption and cell adhesion.
Conclusions:
- Novel biodegradable SMPUs based on PCLBL exhibit excellent mechanical and shape memory properties.
- The incorporation of PCMB via IPN effectively imparts significant anti-biofouling characteristics.
- These PCLBL-PU-based SMPU-IPN materials are highly promising for diverse biomedical applications, including aneurysm embolization and anti-adhesion membranes.
