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On the toughness of photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate networks for biomedical applications
Author(s) -
Smith Kathryn E.,
Temenoff Johnna S.,
Gall Ken
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.30565
Subject(s) - toughness , materials science , acrylate , composite material , interpenetrating polymer network , methacrylate , ultimate tensile strength , fracture toughness , polymer , glass transition , photopolymer , meth , sealant , monomer , elastic modulus
Photopolymerizable networks are being explored for a variety of biomedical applications because they can be formed in situ, rendering them useful in minimally invasive procedures. The purpose of this study was to establish fundamental relationships between toughness, network chemical structure, and testing temperature of photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate networks deformed in air and under hydrated conditions. Networks were formed by combining at least one monofunctional (meth)acrylate with a difunctional methacrylate, and weight ratios were adjusted to vary the degree of crosslinking, elastic modulus, and glass transition temperature ( T g ). Stress–strain behavior and toughness were determined by performing tensile strain to failure tests at temperatures spanning the glassy and rubbery regimes of each network both in air and phosphate‐buffered saline. In air, all of the networks demonstrated a peak in toughness below the network's T g . At an “equivalent” test temperature relative to T g , crosslinking concentration and monomer chemistry influenced the toughness of each network. Apparent toughness is significantly altered in an aqueous environment, an effect driven by water absorption into the network causing the T g to decrease. The results from this study provide the fundamental knowledge required to guide the development of tougher photopolymerizable networks for mechanically strenuous biomedical applications. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009