Issue 11, 2022

Thermoplastic zwitterionic elastomer with critical antifouling properties

Abstract

Thermoplastic elastomers are widely used in the medical industry for advanced medical and healthcare products, helping millions of patients achieve a better quality of life. Yet, microbial contamination and material-associated biofilms on devices remain a critical challenge because it is challenging for currently available materials to provide critical antifouling properties, thermoplasticity, and elastic properties simultaneously. We developed a highly flexible zwitterionic thermoplastic polyurethane with critical antifouling properties. A series of poly((diethanolamine ethyl acetate)-co-poly(tetrahydrofuran)-co-(1,6-diisocyanatohexane)) (PCB-PTHFUs) were synthesized. The PCB-PTHFUs exhibit a breaking strain of more than 400%, a high resistance to fibroblast cells for 24 h, and the excellent ability to prevent biofilm formation for up to three weeks. This study lays a foundation for clarifying the structure–function relationships of zwitterionic polymers. This thermoplastic PCB-PTHFU platform, with its unmatched antifouling properties and high elasticity, has potential for implanted medical devices and a broad spectrum of applications that suffer from biofouling, such as material-associated infection.

Graphical abstract: Thermoplastic zwitterionic elastomer with critical antifouling properties

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Feb 2022
Accepted
07 Apr 2022
First published
21 Apr 2022

Biomater. Sci., 2022,10, 2892-2906

Author version available

Thermoplastic zwitterionic elastomer with critical antifouling properties

K. Wang, T. Arado, A. Huner, H. Seol, X. Liu, H. Wang, L. Hassan, K. Suresh, S. Kim and G. Cheng, Biomater. Sci., 2022, 10, 2892 DOI: 10.1039/D2BM00190J

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