An overview of polyurethane biomaterials and their use in drug delivery

Abstract

Polyurethanes are a versatile and highly tunable class of materials that possess unique properties including high tensile strength, abrasion and fatigue resistance, and flexibility at low temperatures. The tunability of polyurethane properties has allowed this class of polymers to become ubiquitous in our daily lives in fields as diverse as apparel, appliances, construction, and the automotive industry. Additionally, polyurethanes with excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility can be synthesized, enabling their use as biomaterials in the medical field. The tunable nature of polyurethane biomaterials also makes them excellent candidates as drug delivery vehicles, which is the focus of this review. The fundamental idea we aim to highlight in this article is the structure-property-function relationships found in polyurethane systems. Specifically, the chemical structure of the polymer determines its macroscopic properties and dictates the functions for which it will perform well. By exploring the structure-property-function relationships for polyurethanes, we aim to elucidate the fundamental properties that can be tailored to achieve controlled drug release and empower researchers to design new polyurethane systems for future drug delivery applications.