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Polymer Biomaterials. There are a large number of uses for polymers in the biomaterials field. These arise due to the wide variety of properties possible. OBJECTIVES to introduce some fundamental polymer properties and the factors that influence them
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Polymer Biomaterials • There are a large number of uses for polymers in the biomaterials field. These arise due to the wide variety of properties possible. • OBJECTIVES • to introduce some fundamental polymer properties and the factors that influence them • to provide an overview of the uses of polymers as biomaterials
POLYMERS • Polymers - long chain molecules of high molecular weight • -(CH2)n-
Ni Mi Properties: Molecular weight • synthetic polymers possess a molecular weight distribution dispersity index = Mw/Mn
The Bulk State : Solid • Polymers can be either amorphous or semi-crystalline, or can exist in a glassy state. • amorphous glassy state • hard, brittle • no melting point • semi-crystalline glassy state • hard, brittle • crystal formation when cooled • exhibit a melting point • Glass transition temperature (Tg)
Thermal Behavior • semi-crystalline Rubber Liquid Viscous Liquid Tm tough plastic T Tg semi-crystalline plastic crystalline solid 10 1000 100000 1000000 molecular weight (g/mol)
Crosslinked Networks • crosslinks • covalent; H-bonding; entanglements • crosslinking • increased molecular weight • swell in solvents • organogel • hydrogel
Viscoelasticity • The response of polymeric materials to an imposed stress may under certain conditions resemble the behavior of a solid or a liquid. Stress Strain
Diffusion in Polymers • Polymers can also act as solvents for low molecular weight compounds. The diffusion of small molecular weight components in polymers is important in a number of fields : • purification of gases by membrane separation • dialysis • prevention of moisture loss in food and drugs (packaging) • controlled drug delivery (transdermal patches, Ocusert) • polymer degradation
Diffusion in Polymers • Flux is dependent on : • solubility of component in polymer • diffusivity of component in polymer These in turn depend on : • nature of polymer • temperature • nature of component • interaction of component with polymer
Solubility Estimation • From Hildebrand, the interaction parameter, c, is defined as : • The solubility parameter, d, reflects the cohesive energy density of a material, or the energy of vapourization per unit volume. • While a precise prediction of solubility requires an exact knowledge of the Gibbs energy of mixing, solubility parameters are frequently used as a rough estimator. • In general, a polymer will dissolve a given solute if the absolute value of the difference in d between the materials is less than 1 (cal/cm3)1/2.
Diffusivity • experimental observations • effect of T vs Tg
Diffusivity • effect of permeant size
Diffusivity : Effect of Crystallinity • solutes • do not penetrate crystals readily • take path of least resistance • through amorphous regions • increased path length D1,c = diffusivity in semi-crystalline polymer D1,a = diffusivity in amorphous polymer fc = volume fraction of crystals x = shape factor (=2 for spheres) (Mathematics of Diffusion)
Example of Undesirable Absorption • poppet-style heart valve • poppet is composed of PDMS • in small % of patients the poppet jammed or escaped • recovered poppets were yellow, smelled, and had strut grooves
Leaching - Undesirable • polymers often contain contaminants as a result of their synthesis/manufacturing procedure/equipment • may also contain plasticizers, antioxidants and so on • these contaminants are a frequent cause of a polymer’s observed incompatibility
Drug Delivery Ocusert TD - Scopolamine
In Vivo Degradation of Polymers • no polymer is impervious to chemical and physical actions of the body Mechanisms causing degradation
Hydrolytic Degradation • hydrolysis • the scission of chemical functional groups by reaction with water • there are a variety of hydrolyzable polymeric materials: • esters • amides • anhydrides • carbonates • urethanes
Hydrolytic Degradation • degradation rate dependent on • hydrophobicity • crystallinity • Tg • impurities • initial molecular weight, polydispersity • degree of crosslinking • manufacturing procedure • geometry • site of implantation
Hydrolytic Degradation • bulk erosion (homogeneous) • uniform degradation throughout polymer • process • random hydrolytic cleavage (auto-catalytic) • diffusion of oligomers and fragmentation of device • surface erosion (heterogeneous) • polymer degrades only at polymer-water interface
Polyesters fractional change in molecular weight
Oxidative Degradation • usually involves the abstraction of an H to yield an ion or a radical • direct oxidation by host and/or device • release of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by neutrophils and macrophages • catalyzed by presence of metal ions from corrosion
Poly(Carbonates) PEC in vivo M. Acemoglu, In. J. Pharm. 277 (2004) 133-139
Enzymatic Degradation • Natural polymers degrade primarily via enzyme action • collagen by collagenases, lysozyme • glycosaminoglycans by hyaluronidase, lysozyme • There is also evidence that degradation of synthetic polymers is due to or enhanced by enzymes. Z Gan et al., Polymer 40 (1999) 2859 C.G. Pitt et al., J. Control. Rel. 1(1984) 3-14