University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation
Publication Date
2017-02-08
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Biomaterials | Biomechanics and Biotransport | Biotechnology | Materials Chemistry | Medical Biotechnology | Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering | Orthopedics | Polymer Chemistry
Abstract
Maintaining adequate or enhancing mechanical properties of shape memory polymers (SMPs) after shape recovery in an aqueous environment are greatly desired for biomedical applications of SMPs as self-fitting tissue scaffolds or minimally invasive surgical implants. Here we report stable temporary shape fixing and facile shape recovery of biodegradable triblock amphiphilic SMPs containing a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) center block and flanking poly(lactic acid) or poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) blocks in warm water, accompanied by concomitant enhanced mechanical strengths. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses revealed that the unique stiffening of the amphiphilic SMPs upon hydration was due to hydration-driven microphase separation and PEG crystallization. We further demonstrated that the chemical composition of degradable blocks in these SMPs could be tailored to affect the persistence of hydration-induced stiffening upon subsequent dehydration. These properties combined open new horizons for these amphiphilic SMPs for smart weight-bearing in vivo applications (e.g., as self-fitting intervertebral discs). This study also provides a new material design strategy to strengthen polymers in aqueous environment in general.
Keywords
amphiphilic biodegradable polymers, hydration-induced stiffening effect, minimal invasive surgery, shape memory, weight-bearing implantation
Rights and Permissions
This is an open access article published under an ACS AuthorChoice License, which permits copying and redistribution of the article or any adaptations for non-commercial purposes.
DOI of Published Version
10.1021/acsami.6b14167
Source
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2017 Feb 8;9(5):4450-4456.10.1021/acsami.6b14167. Epub 2017 Jan 26. Link to article on publisher's site
Related Resources
Journal/Book/Conference Title
ACS applied materials and interfaces
PubMed ID
28125208
Repository Citation
Zhang, Ben; DeBartolo, Janae E.; and Song, Jie, "Shape Recovery with Concomitant Mechanical Strengthening of Amphiphilic Shape Memory Polymers in Warm Water" (2017). University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications. 1267.
https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/faculty_pubs/1267
Included in
Biomaterials Commons, Biomechanics and Biotransport Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Materials Chemistry Commons, Medical Biotechnology Commons, Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering Commons, Orthopedics Commons, Polymer Chemistry Commons