Abstract
Abstract Evaluating the mechanical properties of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is essential to measure its resistance to permanent deformation from an applied force. These mechanical ePTFE properties must be comparable to the properties of real tissue. Various hydrophilic comonomers 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM), and N-vinylcaprolactam were used individually for copolymerization with acrylic acid (AA) to be grafted onto ePTFE using the gamma irradiation-induced grafting method. After surface modification, the hydrophobic and mechanical properties of ePTFE were altered. The water uptake and contact angle measurement showed that the modified ePTFE was less hydrophobic (∼500%, θ < 90°) than the unmodified ePTFE (0%, θ = 140°). Moreover, the mechanical properties of ePTFE changed after the modification process due to the polymer grafted onto the ePTFE surface. The data from mechanical tests, such as Young’s modulus (74–121 MPa), ultimate tensile strength (5–9 MPa), and elongation at break (56–121%), obtained for the sample AA-co-HEMA and AA-co-NIPAAM remain within the ranges and are considered desirable for use as a biomaterial. The mechanical strength correlates well with the percentage of the grafting yield after the modification process and is dependent on the parameters used, such as irradiation dose and type of comonomer.
Highlights
Polymeric biomaterials have a wide variety of applications for implantation as they are resilient to changes in the body environment after implantation as well as being fabricated in various desired properties for specific medical applications [1,2]
One of the synthetic fluoropolymers that are considered to have “gold” properties is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. This expanded version of PTFE has a multiple micropore structure that allows tissue at the soft tissue replacement site to grow inside the pores, promoting a faster healing process and proper integration with the tissue [4]. ePTFE was first used as a vascular graft in cardiovascular surgery and is currently used in the same application [5,6,7]. ePTFE is used in other medical applications, such as guided bone generation [8], stent grafts, and surgical meshes [9]
The ePTFE was cut into dumbbellshaped pieces of 14 mm length and 2 mm width using a cutter according to ISO-37
Summary
Polymeric biomaterials have a wide variety of applications for implantation as they are resilient to changes in the body environment after implantation as well as being fabricated in various desired properties for specific medical applications [1,2]. Producing polymeric biomaterials that can mimic actual tissue in soft tissue replacement is still a great challenge because no known surgical implant materials ever been shown to be completely free of adverse reactions in the human body [3]. One of the synthetic fluoropolymers that are considered to have “gold” properties is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). This expanded version of PTFE has a multiple micropore structure that allows tissue at the soft tissue replacement site to grow inside the pores, promoting a faster healing process and proper integration with the tissue [4]. EPTFE is used in other medical applications, such as guided bone generation [8], stent grafts, and surgical meshes [9]. This expanded version of PTFE has a multiple micropore structure that allows tissue at the soft tissue replacement site to grow inside the pores, promoting a faster healing process and proper integration with the tissue [4]. ePTFE was first used as a vascular graft in cardiovascular surgery and is currently used in the same application [5,6,7]. ePTFE is used in other medical applications, such as guided bone generation [8], stent grafts, and surgical meshes [9].
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