Novel Polyurethane Scaffolds Containing Sucrose Crosslinker for Dental Application

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Polyurethanes are versatile polymers with applications in biomedical fields.
• Developing biocompatible and biodegradable materials is crucial for tissue replacement therapies.
• Tuning polymer properties is essential for optimizing performance in specific tissue engineering applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel crosslinked polyurethanes based on poly(ε-caprolactone).
• To evaluate the potential of these polyurethanes as tissue replacement materials.
• To assess the biocompatibility and non-toxicity of the synthesized polyurethanes using dental pulp stem cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of polyurethane prepolymers using poly(ε-caprolactone)diol (PCD), polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polylactic acid diol (PLAD), and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI).
• Characterization of polylactic acid diol (PLAD) using MALDI-TOF MS and NMR spectroscopy.
• Evaluation of crosslinked polyurethane samples (SUPURs) using AT-FT-IR, swelling tests, mechanical testing, DSC, and DMA.
• In vitro assessment of dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) viability on the developed polyurethanes.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis and characterization of crosslinked polyurethanes with tunable hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties.
• Comprehensive analysis of structural, mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical properties of the synthesized polyurethanes.
• Demonstrated non-toxicity of the developed polyurethanes to dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs).

Conclusions:

• Crosslinked polyurethanes based on poly(ε-caprolactone) can be synthesized with tailored properties for potential tissue replacement.
• The developed materials exhibit favorable characteristics for biomedical applications.
• The non-toxic nature of these polyurethanes makes them promising candidates for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.