Hydrophobic materials biocompatibility

Both types are hydrophobic materials that, depending on the side group arrangements, can exist as elastomers or as microcrystalline fiber- or film-forming materials. Preliminary studies have suggested that these two classes of polyphosphazenes are inert and biocompatible in subcutaneous tissue implantation experiments. 

The term "bioenertness" is a relative one since few if any synthetic polymers are totally biocompatible with living tissues. The terra is used here on the basis of preUminary in vitro and in vivo tests, together with chemical evaluations based on analogies with other well-tested systems. Two different types of polyphosphazenes are of interest as bioinert materials those with strongly hydrophobic surface characteristics and those with hydrophilic surfaces. These will be considered in turn. 

Drug Release from PHEMA-l-PIB Networks. Amphiphilic networks due to their distinct microphase separated hydrophobic-hydrophilic domain structure posses potential for biomedical applications. Similar microphase separated materials such as poly(HEMA- -styrene-6-HEMA), poly(HEMA-6-dimethylsiloxane- -HEMA), and poly(HEMA-6-butadiene- -HEMA) triblock copolymers have demonstrated better antithromogenic properties to any of the respective homopolymers (5-S). Amphiphilic networks are speculated to demonstrate better biocompatibility than either PIB or PHEMA because of their hydrophilic-hydrophobic microdomain structure. These unique structures may also be useful as swellable drug delivery matrices for both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs due to their amphiphilic nature. Preliminary experiments with theophylline as a model for a water soluble drug were conducted to determine the release characteristics of the system. Experiments with lipophilic drugs are the subject of ongoing research. 

Cross-linked polymeric materials with optical transparency and biocompatibility are used to construct hard contact lenses. The monomers commonly used in hard contact lenses possess a high degree of hydrophobicity due to their inability to form hydrogen bonds with water. The ester methyl methacrylate (MMA) (Fig. 14.6.1), CH2C(CH3)COOCH3, was the first monomeric unit used in 1948. 

Hydrophobic polymer materials that slowly release N O can be used on the surface of medical devices. Many medical devices suffer from the surface adhesion of blood platelets. To minimize this thrombogenic effect, blood thinners such as heparin, coumarin, and aspirin are often used. However, systemic administration of antiplatelet agents could increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding elsewhere in the body. In contrast, biocompatible polymer films would solve this problem [153]. It is possible to create polymeric surfaces that mimic the inner surface of a blood vessel by... 

In a previous section, the effect of plasma on PVA surface for pervaporation processes was also mentioned. In fact, plasma treatment is a surface-modification method to control the hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity balance of polymer materials in order to optimize their properties in various domains, such as adhesion, biocompatibility and membrane-separation techniques. Non-porous PVA membranes were prepared by the cast-evaporating method and covered with an allyl alcohol or acrylic acid plasma-polymerized layer the effect of plasma treatment on the increase of PVA membrane surface hydrophobicity was checked [37].The allyl alcohol plasma layer was weakly crosslinked, in contrast to the acrylic acid layer. The best results for the dehydration of ethanol were obtained using allyl alcohol treatment. The selectivity of treated membrane (H20 wt% in the pervaporate in the range 83-92 and a water selectivity, aH2o, of 250 at 25 °C) is higher than that of the non-treated one (aH2o = 19) as well as that of the acrylic acid treated membrane (aH2o = 22). 

J. Xu et al. [283] have shown that immobilization of enzymes can be done using a specially designed composite membrane with a porous hydrophobic layer and a hydrophilic ultrafiltration layer. A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane with micrometer pores as an excellent hydrophobic support for immobilization was employed for the porous hydrophobic layer, and a biocompatible material of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) which provided a favourable environment to retain the lipase activity was used to prepare the hydrophilic... 

Elastomers of this type are usually cross-linked during fabrication, and often contain fillers such as carbon black or iron oxide to reduce the compliance of the elastomer (i.e. to provide a greater resistance to deformation). Such materials are depicted in Figure 3.1. They are used in technology because of their flexibility and elasticity at low temperatures (-60 °C), their resistance to hydrocarbon solvents, oils, and hydraulic fluids, and their fire resistance.145 For these reasons, they are utilized in aerospace and advanced automotive applications. Some interest exists in their development as inert biomaterials, mainly because of their surface hydrophobicity and consequent biocompatibility. 

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