Journal article
Effect of Molecular Weight and Functionality on Acrylated Poly(caprolactone) for Stereolithography and Biomedical Applications
Biomacromolecules, Vol.19(9), pp.3682-3692
09/10/2018
DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00784
PMID: 30044915
Abstract
Degradable polymers are integral components in many biomedical polymer applications. The ability of these materials to decompose in situ has become a critical component for tissue engineering, allowing scaffolds to guide cell and tissue growth while facilitating gradual regeneration of native tissue. The objective of this work is to understand the role of prepolymer molecular weight and functionality of photocurable poly(caprolactone) (PCL) in determining reaction kinetics, mechanical properties, polymer degradation, biocompatibility, and suitability for stereolithography. PCL, a degradable polymer used in a number of biomedical applications, was functionalized with acrylate groups to enable photopolymerization and three-dimensional printing via stereolithography. PCL prepolymers with different molecular weights and functionalities were studied to understand the role of molecular structure in reaction kinetics, mechanical properties, and degradation rates. The mechanical properties of photocured PCL were dependent on cross-link density and directly related to the molecular weight and functionality of the prepolymers. High-molecular weight, low-functionality PCLDA prepolymers exhibited a lower modulus and a higher strain at break, while low-molecular weight, high-functionality PCLTA prepolymers exhibited a lower strain at break and a higher modulus. Additionally, degradation profiles of cross-linked PCL followed a similar trend, with low cross-link density leading to degradation times up to 2.5 times shorter than those of more highly cross-linked polymers. Furthermore, photopolymerized PCL showed biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo, causing no observed detrimental effects on seeded murine-induced pluripotent stem cells or when implanted into pig retinas. Finally, the ability to create three-dimensional PCL structures is shown by fabrication of simple structures using digital light projection stereolithography. Low-molecular weight, high-functionality PCLTA prepolymers printed objects with feature sizes near the hardware resolution limit of 50 μm. This work lays the foundation for future work in fabricating microscale PCL structures for a wide range of tissue regeneration applications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Effect of Molecular Weight and Functionality on Acrylated Poly(caprolactone) for Stereolithography and Biomedical Applications
- Creators
- Brian J Green - Department of Chemical and Biochemical EngineeringKristan S Worthington - The University of IowaJessica R Thompson - The University of IowaSpencer J Bunn - Department of Chemical and Biochemical EngineeringMary Rethwisch - Department of Chemical and Biochemical EngineeringEmily E Kaalberg - The University of IowaChunhua Jiao - The University of IowaLuke A Wiley - The University of IowaRobert F Mullins - The University of IowaEdwin M Stone - The University of IowaElliott H Sohn - The University of IowaBudd A Tucker - The University of IowaC. Allan Guymon - Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Biomacromolecules, Vol.19(9), pp.3682-3692
- DOI
- 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00784
- PMID
- 30044915
- NLM abbreviation
- Biomacromolecules
- ISSN
- 1525-7797
- eISSN
- 1526-4602
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100001694, name: International Retinal Research Foundation; DOI: 10.13039/100001818, name: Research to Prevent Blindness; DOI: 10.13039/100000146, name: Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, award: CBET-1438486; name: Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa; name: Stephen A. Wynn and Elaine P. Wynn Foundation
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/10/2018
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9983979948802771
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