A main chain biodegradable polyurethane with anti-protein adsorption and anti-bacterial adhesion performances

Abstract

Biofilms are initially formed by substances such as proteins secreted by bacteria adhering to a surface. To achieve a durable antibacterial material, biodegradable dihydroxyl-terminated poly[(ethylene oxide)-co-(ethylene carbonate)] (PEOC(OH)₂) with anti-protein adsorption properties was synthesized in this study. Further polycondensation of PEOC(OH)₂ and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) led to biodegradable polyurethane (PEOC–PU) with PEOC as the soft segment. For comparison, polyurethanes with polyethylene glycol (PEG–PU) and polypropylene glycol (PPG–PU) as soft segments were also synthesized. The chemical structures of the polyurethanes were characterized by ¹H NMR and FTIR. The biodegradation behavior of PEOC–PU promoted by lipase due to the presence of ethylene carbonate units was also studied. Their resistance to proteins was studied using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and the results revealed that PEOC–PU exhibited excellent nonspecific resistance to proteins. The colonization of microorganisms on PU in the liquid culture medium was further examined and the results showed that PEOC–PU exhibited excellent antibacterial adhesion performance due to its protein resistance and biodegradation.