Amorphous Biodegradable Elastomers via Photocrosslinking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biodegradable elastomeric polymers face issues such as heterogeneous degradation, slow bioabsorption, hydrophobicity leading to protein adsorption and inflammatory reactions, and the use of toxic crosslinkers and solvents, which hinder their application in biomedical fields like drug delivery and tissue engineering.
Innovation Solution
Development of biodegradable and biocompatible elastomeric polymers with a glass transition temperature below room and body temperature, which are amorphous and homogeneously degrade into water-soluble products, using copolymers with specific monomers and crosslinkers that are photocrosslinked or thermally crosslinked, avoiding toxic substances and solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If thermoplastic elastomers are used, then ease of processing is improved, but degradation homogeneity deteriorates due to crystalline regions degrading slower than amorphous regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of polymer structure from semi-crystalline thermoplastic to amorphous thermoset elastomer. This eliminates crystalline regions entirely, ensuring homogeneous degradation throughout the material while maintaining elastomeric properties through crosslinked network structure rather than crystalline domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining biodegradable polymer chains with crosslinking agents to form a thermoset network. This composite structure provides both the desired homogeneous degradation (from amorphous structure) and elastomeric mechanical properties (from crosslinked network), resolving the contradiction between processing ease and degradation uniformity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If thermoset elastomers are used, then degradation homogeneity is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to difficulty in fabrication by heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal mechanical processing with photochemical processing. Instead of using heat and mechanical forces for fabrication, the invention uses UV light irradiation to initiate crosslinking and form the elastomeric network. This substitution enables easy fabrication through simple UV exposure while maintaining the homogeneous degradation characteristics of amorphous thermoset structures.
3Reliability
If conventional crosslinking agents are used, then crosslinking effectiveness is improved, but biocompatibility deteriorates due to toxic and carcinogenic degradation products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical nature of crosslinking agents from conventional aromatic compounds (like MDI) to aliphatic lactone-based crosslinkers. This parameter change in molecular structure eliminates toxic and carcinogenic degradation products while maintaining effective crosslinking. The aliphatic lactone structures degrade into non-toxic, biocompatible compounds that do not cause inflammatory reactions.
4Strength
If hydrophobic polymer segments are used, then mechanical strength is improved, but biocompatibility deteriorates due to protein adsorption and inflammatory reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the hydrophobicity parameter of the polymer system by using entirely hydrophilic components - hydrophilic diols, hydrophilic carboxylic acids, and hydrophilic lactone crosslinkers. This parameter change eliminates hydrophobic segments that cause protein adsorption and inflammatory reactions. The resulting elastomer maintains mechanical strength through its crosslinked network structure while achieving superior biocompatibility through hydrophilic surface properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The new elastomeric polymers exhibit homogeneous degradation, improved biocompatibility, and controlled release of bioactive agents, reducing inflammatory reactions and enhancing the integrity and functionality of implanted devices.
Implementation Method 1
which are amorphous and homogeneously degrade into water-soluble products, using copolymers with specific monomers and crosslinkers that are photocrosslinked or thermally crosslinked
Implementation Method 2
which are amorphous and homogeneously degrade into water-soluble products, using copolymers with specific monomers and crosslinkers that are photocrosslinked or thermally crosslinked
Implementation Method 3
Biodegradable elastomers prepared by the condensation of an organic di-, tri- or tetra-carboxylic acid and an organic diol
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to biodegradable and biocompatible elastomeric polymers that are amorphous and have a glass transition temperature below both room temperature and body temperature, and which will homogenously degrade to water soluble by-products with no reported toxicity.