The effect of water absorption on the viscoelastic properties of poly(styrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene) for use in biomedical applications

Abstract

The decrease in glass transition temperature and change in creep compliance due to water diffusion in a biocompatible thermoplastic elastomer was studied and quantified. Knowledge of the mechanical and viscoelastic performance of the styrene-isobutylene-styrene block (SIBS) copolymer is important to determine the feasibility of certain in-vivo applications. Furthermore, the deterioration in these types of properties due to the plasticizing effect of water must be well understood for long term usage. Samples were formed with an injection molding press and fully dried prior to immersion in distilled water at 37°C. Water diffusion kinetics were studied for four different SIBS copolymers of varying molecular weight and styrene content by measuring weight changes as a function of time. These gravimetric diffusion studies showed an inverse relationship between diffusivity and styrene content and molecular weight for the first thousand hours of immersion. Measurements of storage modulus, loss modulus, tangent delta, strain recovery and creep compliance were performed using a dynamic mechanical analyzer for the high molecular weight, high styrene content SIBS version at different absorbed water contents. A measurable and nearly linear decrease of the glass transition temperature and creep recovery with respect to water content was observed for the samples tested even at relatively low water content: an increase in water content of 0.27% correlated to a decrease of 4°C in glass transition temperature while a 0.16% weight increase corresponded to a 12.5% decrease in creep recovery. These quantified material properties restrict the use of SIBS in certain implantable operations that undergo cyclic strains, and in sterilization techniques that require high temperatures. As such, they are important to understand in order to determine the viability of in vivo usage of this biocompatible polymer.