Hydrolytic degradation of segmented polyurethane copolymers for biomedical applications

The hydrolytic degradation of a series of segmented polyurethane (SPU) copolymers with potential for biomedical use has been investigated. A series of polyurethane copolymers were prepared from 1,6 - diisocyanatohexane (HDI), polycaprolactone diol (PCL), 2,2 - bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid (DMPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). The synthesized SPUs have a low soft segment glass transition temperature, a melting temperature around 50 °C, and a significant tailorable hardness for tissue engineering applications. Tensile testing of SPU films at 37 °C in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) indicated that the Young's modulus and elongation of the polyurethane copolymers could be tailored by altering the soft segment block length. All polyurethanes demonstrated hydrolytic degradability, which was measured in PBS solution at 37 °C, and the rate of degradation of the polyurethanes could be somewhat tailored by controlling the soft segment length.