Design of polyester and polyester urethane biomaterials

WCC 7

Valerie Ashby, ashby@email.unc.edu, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3290, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290
A structure-property approach toward the synthesis of novel biomaterials was investigated. The new materials include polyester-based elastomers with similar mechanical properties to ligaments and vascular structures, as well as cyclic diacid-based amine-functionalized polymers. These materials possess a unique combination of features. Specifically, they are liquid at room temperature, readily crosslinked and processed, biocompatible, biodegradable and functionalized. Amine-functionalized poly(butadiene) materials were also prepared and evaluated for their effectiveness as gene delivery vectors. The cytotoxicity, polyplex formation and transfection efficiency were determined and structure-property relationships established. More recently, these studies were extended to include polyurethane elastomers. The polyurethane synthesis incorporates hydroxy endcapped polyesters and amine-functionalized poly(butadiene)s to alter polymer properties. The design, synthesis, properties and processing of these materials will be discussed.