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Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers01:28

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Synthetic polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, or plastics based on their crystallinity. Crystallinity, the degree of long-range order in the solid state, influences the mechanical properties (stretching or contracting) of elastomers. Elastomers are flexible polymers that can expand or contract easily upon the application of an external force. They have numerous crosslinks that pull them back into their original shape when stress is removed. Silicones, for instance, are highly elastic...

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Related Experiment Video

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Shape Memory Polymers for Active Cell Culture
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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
PubMed
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.

Keywords:
conformal polymerflexible polymerpolymer characterizationself-softening polymershape memory polymerstretchable polymerthiol-ene/acrylate polymer

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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.