Blends of natural and synthetic polymers: A new route to novel biomaterials

Abstract

Abstract;: Blends of natural and synthetic polymers were studied for potential applications in the biomedical field. Collagen and hyaluronic acid were mixed in aqueous solution with poly(viny1 alcohol) and poly(acry1ic acid). The properties of the blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Some methods were also investigated to enhance the miscibility of the polymers in these blends.

Bioartificial polymeric materials based on collagen and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

“…Originally, these new materials were conceived to overcome the poor biological performance of synthetic polymers and also to enhance the mechanical characteristics of biopolymers, in order to be employed as biomaterials or as low-environmental impact materials [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] . In this context, our group has investigated several systems involving both biological (primarily fibrin, hyaluronic acid, and collagen) and synthetic components (polyurethanes, poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(acrylic acid)) [8][9][10][11][12][13] .…”

Hidrólise seletiva de carboxiamidas de resíduos de asparagina e glutamina em colágeno: preparação e caracterização de matrizes aniônicas para uso como biomateriais

“…Os novos materiais resultantes são matrizes colagênicas carregadas, utilizadas como suporte para crescimento celular, géis de colágeno viscoelástico para reposição do humor vítreo, géis de colágeno para liberação de droga ou ainda para o estudo da fibrilogênese do colágeno 5,8 . Outros biomateriais de colágeno, com novas e melhores propriedades, tem sido preparados na forma de compósitos por associação com polímeros sintéticos 9 , como por exemplo, o polipirrol para o controle do processo de calcificação in vivo de válvulas cardíacas fixadas com glutaraldeído 4 . Um processo interessante para a preparação de materiais de colágeno carregados negativamente a pH fisiológico, sem induzir a grandes modificações estruturais, é a hidrólise seletiva dos grupos carboxiamidas dos resíduos de aminoácidos asparagina (Asn) e glutamina (Gln) presentes nas cadeias a do tropocolágeno 10 .…”

Polymerisation onto Biological Templates, a New Way to Obtain Bioartificial Polymeric Materials

“…They have been defined by our group as "bioartificial polymeric materials" [1,2] and were originally conceived with the aim of realising new biomaterials combining the features of synthetic polymers (good mechanical properties, easy processability, low production and transformation costs) with the specific tissue-and cell compatibility of biopolymers. [3,4] The performance of these materials relies on the relationship between the role played by the synthetic-natural polymer interactions and the cell-and tissue compatibility of the resulting material. In fact, the cell-and tissue compatibility of a material is determined by the interactions at the molecular level between the material and the constituents of the living tissue of the host body.…”