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In vitro degradation of a biodegradable polyurethane foam, based on 1,4‐butanediisocyanate: A three‐year study at physiological and elevated temperature
Author(s) -
Zuidema J.,
van Minnen B.,
Span M. M.,
Hissink C. E.,
van Kooten T. G.,
Bos R. R. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1552-4965
pISSN - 1549-3296
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.a.32154
Subject(s) - materials science , copolyester , polyurethane , degradation (telecommunications) , in vivo , caprolactone , biodegradation , composite material , resorption , polycaprolactone , chemical engineering , polyester , polymer , copolymer , organic chemistry , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , telecommunications , pathology , computer science , engineering , biology
Biodegradable polyesterurethanes (PUs) may be used as scaffold materials for tissue regeneration applications, because of their excellent mechanical properties. In this study, the degradation of highly porous PU foams was evaluated in vitro . The PU had amorphous soft segments of DL ‐lactide/ϵ‐caprolactone and uniform hard segments, synthesized from 1,4‐butanediisocyanate and butanediol. The foams were degraded for 3 years in a Sörensen buffer solution (pH 7.4) at 37 and 60°C. Dimensions of the foams, intrinsic viscosity, mass loss, thermal properties, and composition of the remaining material were evaluated. Copolyester (CP) foams of DL ‐lactide/ϵ‐caprolactone served as controls. The PU foams kept their dimensions for 20 weeks at 37°C, whereas CP foams collapsed after 3 weeks. PU mass loss reached a maximum of 80% at both 37 and 60°C. CP mass loss reached 99.9% at 60°, and 92% at 37°C after 3 years. The degradation processes at 37 and 60°C are initially the same, but eventually degradation products with different thermal properties are being formed. 1 H NMR studies showed that the hard urethane segments of the PU do not degrade in vitro at pH 7.4. It was concluded that the PU material has favorable characteristics for a scaffold material. Compared to long‐term in vivo results of the same PU these in vitro results are not representative for the in vivo situation and therefore total resorption has to be investigated in long‐term in vivo studies. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009