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Shape Memory Polymers for Active Cell Culture
Published on: July 4, 2011
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Multifaceted Shape Memory Polymer Technology for Biomedical Application: Combining Self-Softening and Stretchability
Chandani Chitrakar1, Marc Anthony Torres1, Pedro Emanuel Rocha-Flores2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA.
Polymers
|November 14, 2023
Summary
Researchers enhanced flexible thiol-ene polymers by adding di-acrylate chain extenders, improving stretchability for biomedical applications like wearable devices. These new thiol-ene/acrylate polymers exhibit flexibility, stretchability, and shape memory.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Thiol-ene polymers are versatile biomaterials for applications such as organs-on-a-chip, microfluidics, drug delivery, and wound healing.
- These polymers possess inherent flexibility, softening, and shape memory properties, but often lack the necessary stretchability for advanced biomedical devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the stretchability and conformability of flexible thiol-ene polymers.
- To investigate the incorporation of di-acrylate chain extenders, specifically Polyethylene Glycol Diacrylate (PEGDA), into thiol-ene polymer networks.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of thiol-ene/acrylate polymers using 1,3,5-triallyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (TATATO), Trimethylolpropanetris (3-mercaptopropionate) (TMTMP), and PEGDA (Mn 250 and Mn 575).
- Characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to confirm monomer reaction.
- Evaluation of mechanical properties via uniaxial tensile testing and thermomechanical analysis to assess Young's Modulus, fracture strain, and glass transition temperature (Tg).
Main Results:
- FTIR confirmed complete monomer reaction in the synthesized thiol-ene/acrylate polymers.
- Addition of 5 wt% PEGDA 575 significantly softened the polymer, reducing Young's Modulus from 1.12 GPa to 260 MPa (further reduced to 15 MPa under physiologic conditions).
- Fracture strain increased from 55% to 92% with PEGDA 575 incorporation, indicating enhanced stretchability. PEGDA also allowed tuning of the glass transition temperature.
Conclusions:
- Thiol-ene/acrylate polymers incorporating di-acrylate chain extenders demonstrate significantly improved flexibility and stretchability.
- These modified polymers exhibit tunable mechanical properties and shape memory effects, making them suitable for demanding biomedical applications.
- The developed thiol-ene/acrylate materials represent a promising advancement for flexible, stretchable, and shape-memory biomaterials.
