Composition-property relationship of PCL based polyurethanes


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2012

Öğrenci: AYSUN GÜNEY

Danışman: VASIF NEJAT HASIRCI

Özet:

The desirable properties of polyurethanes (PUs) such as mechanical flexibility associated with chemical versatility make these polymers attractive in the development of biomedical devices. In this study, various segmented polyurethanes were synthesized through polymerization reactions between polycaprolactone (PCL) diol or triol and excess hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) with varying NCO/OH ratios and the effect of composition on the properties of the resultant polyurethane films were examined. Initially, isocyanate terminated prepolymers were synthesized through one-shot polymerization, and then these prepolymers were cured by introducing crosslinkages into the structure and thus PUs were obtained. In order to enhance biocompatibility and hydrophilicity of the resulting polymers, heparin was added into the prepolymer before the curing process. The influence of excess HDI as a crosslinker on the degree of H-bond formation between hard-hard segments or hard-soft segments was examined by using Fourier transform infrared-Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). Also the effects of HDI content on the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the polyurethanes were examined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), mechanical tester and goniometer. FTIR- ATR, DSC and DMA analyses showed that use of triol resulted in better network formation and homogenous distribution of hard segments within soft segment matrix. Incorporation of heparin into the polymer matrix produced more hydrophilic films (water contact angle reduced from 80 to 60). Polyurethanes from PCL and HDI in the absence of any solvent, initiator, catalyst or chain extender were successfully synthesized and this kind of synthesis enhanced biocompatibility and increased the potential of polymers for use in biomedical applications.