Synthesis and processability into textile structures of radiopaque, biodegradable polyesters and poly(ester-urethanes)

• Published in: Polymer international Vol. 63; no. 9; pp. 1732 - 1740
• Main Authors: Rode, Claudia, Schmidt, Annika, Wyrwa, Ralf, Weisser, Jürgen, Schmidt, Kathrin, Moszner, Norbert, Gottlöber, Ralf-Peter, Heinemann, Klaus, Schnabelrauch, Matthias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.09.2014; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biodegradability; Biodegradable materials; Biodegradable polymers; Biological and medical sciences; cytocompatibility; Electrospinning; Elongation; Exact sciences and technology; Fibers and threads; Fibres; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; In vitro testing; iodinated polymers; Medical sciences; poly(ester-urethanes); Polyesters; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymerization; Polymers; radiopacity; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgical implants; Technology of polymers; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; Textiles; Ring opening polymerization; Biological properties; poly(ester-urethanes); Synthetic fiber; Electrospinning; Melt spinning; Iodine Organic compounds; Lactone polymer; Polyaddition; Caprolactone copolymer; Esterurethane polymer; Aliphatic polymer; cytocompatibility; Biocompatibility; Biomaterial; Technological properties; Polycaprolactone; Lactone copolymer; Mechanical properties; Experimental study; radiopacity; Tensile strength; Biodegradable polymers; iodinated polymers; Solvent spinning; Preparation; Spinnability
• ISSN: 0959-8103; 1097-0126
• DOI: 10.1002/pi.4707

Biodegradable polymers were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of lactones with a iodine‐containing starter followed by chain elongation. The cytocompatible polymers can be processed into monofilaments and electrospun meshes usable as potential radiopaque implant materials. Radiopaque biodegradable polymers have been synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of l/dl‐lactide and caprolactone with the iodine‐containing starter molecule 2,2‐bis(hydroxymethyl)propane‐1,3‐diyl bis(2,3,5‐triiodobenzoate) followed by chain elongation with a diacid chloride or diisocyanates. The resulting polyesters and poly(ester‐urethanes) exhibited a radiopacity of 60−124% relative to an aluminium sample of the same thickness. The polymers were processed into monofilament fibres by melt‐spinning and into fibre meshes by electrospinning. All polymers were biodegradable in simulated body fluid medium under in vitro conditions and showed an excellent in vitro cytocompatibility even after several months of hydrolytic degradation. A current drawback is the relatively low tensile strength of the polymer monofilaments, which needs to be improved for applications as textile structures. Nevertheless, the new radiopaque and biodegradable polymers are promising candidates in fields of application where radiopacity of implants is an important parameter.