Effect of thermal treatment on the structure and the biomedical properties of polyetherurethane film containing dipeptides of l-serine

Abstract

Prepolymers which were obtained by the reaction of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) with polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were chain-extended by the reaction with the linear or cyclic dipeptide of l-serine to yield a novel polyetherurethane containing dipeptide segments. In these polyetherurethanes, spherulites, fibrous structures, and needle-like crystals were formed according to the conditions used. Polyetherurethanes containing the cyclic dipeptide segments exhibit a thermally stable conformation when cast from solution at room temperature. On the other hand, polyetherurethanes containing the linear dipeptide segments exhibit a thermally stable conformation only after annealing. The properties of polyetherurethanes were elucidated by investigation of their morphology by electron microscopy, surface composition by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, hydrogen-bonding properties by i.r. spectroscopy, and degree of crystallinity by differential scanning calorimetry. The antithrombogenicity of polyetherurethane films containing linear dipeptides was increased by annealing. Their oxygen permeability was controlled by the linear or cyclic dipeptide segments or by annealing. The urea permeability of hydrophilic polyetherurethane film was easily controlled by the casting conditions and molecular weight of the polyether component. The relationship between the morphology and biomedical properties of these polyetherurethane films is discussed.