Synthesis, characterization, and platelet adhesion studies of novel aliphatic polyurethaneurea anionomers based on polydimethylsiloxane-polytetramethylene oxide soft segments

In vitro Biocompatibility of PTMO-based Polyurethanes and those Containing PDMS Blocks

In this work, a series of different polyurethanes based on poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO, MW 2000) and chain extended with butenediol were synthesized by a two-step solution polymerization. Three of them contained silanol terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, MW 2000) blocks. It was shown that these polymers exhibited various degrees of micro-phase separation that further influenced their biological performances in vitro. The formulation with diphenylmethane diisocyanate/PTMO/PDMS/2-butene-1,4-diol at a molar ratio of 2: 0.75: 0.5: 1 in synthesis was favorable due to a combination of enhanced mechanical properties, biostability, cellular affinity as well as platelet nonadherence.

Protein repellant silicone surfaces by covalent immobilization of poly(ethylene oxide)

Polydimethylsiloxane elastomers were surface modified with passivating polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymers of different molecular weights, both monofunctional and bifunctional. Following the introduction of Si-H groups on the surfaces by acid-catalyzed equilibration in the presence of polymethylhydrosiloxane, the PEO was linked by platinum-catalyzed hydrosilylation. ATR-FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle results confirmed that the PEO was successfully grafted to the silicone rubber. Atomic force microscopy and XPS suggested that surface coverage with PEO was very high on the modified surfaces but not complete. The protein-resistant properties of the PEO-modified surfaces were demonstrated by measuring the adsorption of fibrinogen from both buffer and plasma. Fibrinogen adsorption from buffer to the PEO-modified surfaces was reduced by more than 90% compared with controls.

Silicone elastomers for reduced protein adsorption

Monofunctional poly(ethylene oxide) polymers of molecular weight (MW) 350, 750, and 2000, respectively, were modified with Si(OEt)3 groups. These polymers underwent classic condensation cure with hydroxy-terminated silicone polymers and Si(OEt)4 to give composites with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) rich surfaces under aqueous conditions, as shown by contact angle and XPS data. The hydrophobicity of the surfaces was considerably higher in air. The greatest PEO concentration was observed with relatively short chain polymers of MW 350. Silicone polymers bearing short chain PEO chains were also observed to be the most protein rejecting from either buffer (fibrinogen) (90%) or plasma (85%). The silicone/TES-MPEO formulation offers the advantage of a one step/one shot polymerization process that gives materials with a high protein rejection ability than can be cast as films, or molded into complex shapes. Covalently linked PEO films of a variety of chain lengths and total surface coverage can be readily accommodated.