Novel Blood-Compatible Polyurethanes Containing Poly(butadiene) Soft Segments and Phosphatidylcholine Analogues for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

New segmented polyurethanes (SPUs) based on stearyl and phosphatidylcholine analogues were synthesized. The soft segments used in this study were the poly(butadiene) (PBD) glycol, the hard segments of these SPUs were composed of 4,4‘-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), 2-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methylammonio]ethyl stearylphosphate (BESP), and 1,4-butanediol (BD). The bulk and surface characterization was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and contact angle measurements. The mechanical properties were investigated by dynamic viscoelasticity and tensile property experiments. The blood compatibilities of the new SPUs were evaluated by platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contact studies and viewed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that this new material has good mechanical strength with an elongation at break of 252%, and the blood compatibilities of the SPUs have a great difference between the glass contact side and air-exposed side for the same cast films. The hot-pressed films, having same polyimide contact surface, show that the phospholipid SPU is a favorable surface in terms of platelet adhesion and that the morphology of adhered platelets undergoes a relatively low degree of variation. The clotting time of the cast films contacting with PRP was more than 240 s for the new polymers and 122 and 86 s for polystyrene and glass, respectively.