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Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold
Published on: October 23, 2015
4D Printing of TBCHA-Based Shape Memory Polymer Composites: Bioglass 45S5 Addition Improves Stability Retention and
Meng-Ruei Liu1, Hsuan Chen2, Nien-Ti Tsou1
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
ACS Omega
|May 18, 2026
Summary
This study developed novel shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) by adding Bioglass 45S5 to a polycaprolactone diacrylate/4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acrylate network. The resulting materials show enhanced mechanical properties, shape recovery, and bioactivity, making them suitable for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) offer tunable properties for advanced applications.
- Enhancing mechanical robustness, thermal stability, and bioactivity in SMPCs remains a key challenge.
- Incorporating bioactive fillers like Bioglass can improve SMPC performance and biocompatibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel SMPCs by incorporating Bioglass 45S5 into a polycaprolactone diacrylate (PCL-DA)/4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acrylate (TBCHA) network.
- To investigate the effects of Bioglass incorporation on the mechanical, thermal, degradation, and shape memory properties of the SMPCs.
- To evaluate the bioactivity of the developed SMPCs through hydroxyapatite formation.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of SMPCs by melt-quenched Bioglass 45S5 dispersion in a PCL-DA/TBCHA matrix.
- Characterization using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), flexural testing, and hardness measurements.
- Assessment of degradation in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and bioactivity via simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion.
Main Results:
- The SMP30 network with 3 wt % Bioglass (SMP 30 BG 3) showed a significant increase in glass transition temperature (40 to 45 °C) and flexural strength (4.3 to 17.46 MPa).
- Bioglass incorporation influenced degradation rates, with ≥2 wt % slowing down the process while maintaining excellent shape-memory performance (Rf ≈98.05%, Rr ≈98%).
- The composites demonstrated good cyclic stability over five thermomechanical cycles, with shape recovery and fixity rates remaining around 97%.
Conclusions:
- The developed SMPCs exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, thermal stability, and shape memory performance.
- The incorporation of Bioglass 45S5 improves the bioactivity of the SMPCs, evidenced by hydroxyapatite formation.
- These tunable, 4D printable, degradable SMPCs with enhanced bioactivity hold promise for biomedical applications.
