Thermoplastic polyurethanes containing poly(dimethylsiloxane): Synthesis, properties and biocompatibility

Abstract

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) materials containing poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) segments have been used in various medical devices, primarily because of their good mechanical properties and biostability. However, PDMS-based TPUs, currently utilized for biomedical applications, have sub-optimal biocompatibility in terms of resistance to cell adhesion and relatively poor support for endothelial cell growth, which diminishes their efficacy. In order to significantly improve and extend clinical applications of PDMS-based TPUs, the aim of the research was to enhance the endothelial cell attachment and blood-contacting properties of these materials [1,2]. This study is focused on overview of the synthesis, characterization of the structure, surface, thermal, and mechanical properties, as well as investigation of biocompatibility of PDMS-based TPUs. The synthesized PDMS based TPUs exhibit good surface and thermo-mechanical properties, as well as good biocompatibility equal to current commercial biomedical TPUs.