New Semi-Biodegradable Materials from Semi-Interpenetrated Networks of Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) and Poly(ethyl acrylate)

Abstract

Semi-degradable materials may have many applications. Here poly(ethyl acrylate) and poly(ϵ-caprolactone) were combined as semi-interpenetrated networks, and thoroughly characterized in terms of final composition, interactions between components, wettability, and mechanical properties. PCL modulates the mechanical properties of the PEA elastomeric network. Cultures of fibroblasts and adipose-tissue derived stem cells showed excellent biological performance of the materials. The results are relevant for applications seeking materials leaving a permanent supporting skeleton after the partial degradation, as in patches for cardiac regeneration or in abdominal wall meshes.

Functionalization of PLLA with Polymer Brushes to Trigger the Assembly of Fibronectin into Nanonetworks

“…The surface chemistry of PEA allows for the unfolding of the FN molecule upon adsorption, facilitating the presentation of binding sites unavailable in the globular protein; indeed, FN typically absorbs in globular conformation on materials such as PLLA . However, PEA has been shown to be biostable within the body and is inherently non‐biodegradable; this limits its use in tissue regenerative applications. By creating a very thin (few nm) layer of PEA on a biodegradable polymer via SI‐ATRP, the functionality of PEA can be added to a biodegradable system, where the PEA brushes are thin enough to be metabolized …”