An initiator- and catalyst-free hydrogel coating process for 3D printed medical-grade poly(epsilon-caprolactone)

Autor: Paul D. Dalton, Robert Luxenhofer, Tobias Kielholz, Miriam Komma, Thomas Lorson, Maike Windbergs, Jochen Loeblein
Přispěvatelé: Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Department of Chemistry
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, Vol 17, Iss 1, Pp 2095-2101 (2021)
Popis: Additive manufacturing or 3D printing as an umbrella term for various materials processing methods has distinct advantages over many other processing methods, including the ability to generate highly complex shapes and designs. However, the performance of any produced part not only depends on the material used and its shape, but is also critically dependent on its surface properties. Important features, such as wetting or fouling, critically depend mainly on the immediate surface energy. To gain control over the surface chemistry post-processing modifications are generally necessary, since it' s not a feature of additive manufacturing. Here, we report on the use of initiator and catalyst-free photografting and photopolymerization for the hydrophilic modification of microfiber scaffolds obtained from hydrophobic medical-grade poly(epsilon-caprolactone) via melt-electrowriting. Contact angle measurements and Raman spectroscopy confirms the formation of a more hydrophilic coating of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). Apart from surface modification, we also observe bulk polymerization, which is expected for this method, and currently limits the controllability of this procedure.
Databáze: OpenAIRE