Cleavable Silyl Ether Monomers with Elevated Thermomechanical Properties for Bone Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Stereolithography is a promising 3D printing technique for patient-specific bone scaffolds.
• Current photopolymers, often (meth)acrylates, have cytotoxicity and poor degradation profiles.
• There is a need for advanced materials for bone tissue engineering scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel trifunctional monomers for thiol-ene photopolymerization for bone graft applications.
• To enhance the thermomechanical properties and mechanical strength of 3D printed scaffolds.
• To ensure biocompatibility and controlled degradation of the novel polymer networks.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized novel trifunctional monomers with cleavable silyl ether groups and norbornane-derived motifs.
• Utilized thiol-ene photopolymerization to create polymer networks.
• Characterized thermomechanical properties (T_g), mechanical strength, degradation rate, and cytotoxicity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a glass transition temperature (T_g) of up to 62 °C, significantly improving thermomechanical properties.
• Demonstrated outstanding mechanical strength and high photoreactivity of the developed monomers.
• Exhibited a controlled degradation rate of 6.5% per month with no significant cytotoxicity of degradation products.

Conclusions:

• The novel silyl ether-based monomers are suitable for fabricating advanced bone grafts via stereolithography.
• The developed materials overcome the limitations of current photopolymers, offering improved performance and safety.
• This work expands the material options for 3D printed scaffolds in regenerative medicine.