Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) / Organo- fluoromica Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications: In Vitro Fatigue Properties

Abstract

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) / poly(hexamethylene oxide) (PHMO)-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposite was investigated for potential use in biomedical application. Studies on the in vitro fatigue behaviour of the TPU and TPU nanocomposite (under physiological saline solution, 37°C conditions) were highlighted in this article. The data were compared with those of commercially available silicone elastomer (Nusil MED 4860). Results indicated that the TPU nanocomposite (2MED-C (2HM)) had greater fatigue properties than the virgin TPU, which provide strong evidence of its greater capacity to withstand cyclic forces than the host TPU when exposed to physiological fluid. This was caused by the presence of well dispersed and impermeable organofluoromica platelets in the TPU matrix resulted in more tortuous path for the physiological fluid diffusion, thereby decreasing the fluid permeability of the polymer. Eventhough the silicone elastomer has lesser hysteresis than the virgin TPU and TPU nanocomposite, its fatigue strength is much lower than those of the TPU nanocomposite. The findings revealed the potential of PDMS/PHMO based TPU nanocomposite to replace silicone elastomer as biomaterial, particularly for implantable biomedical device application.