Thermoreversible hydrogels from RAFT-synthesized BAB triblock copolymers: steps toward biomimetic matrices for tissue regeneration |
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Authors: | Kirkland Stacey E Hensarling Ryan M McConaughy Shawn D Guo Yanlin Jarrett William L McCormick Charles L |
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Institution: | Department of Polymer Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA. |
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Abstract: | Narrowly dispersed, temperature-responsive BAB block copolymers capable of forming physical gels under physiological conditions were synthesized via aqueous reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The use of a difunctional trithiocarbonate facilitates the two-step synthesis of BAB copolymers with symmetrical outer blocks. The outer B blocks of the triblock copolymers consist of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and the inner A block consists of poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide). The copolymers form reversible physical gels above the phase transition temperature of PNIPAM at concentrations as low as 7.5 wt % copolymer. Mechanical properties similar to collagen, a naturally occurring polypeptide used as a three-dimensional in vitro cell growth scaffold, have been achieved. Herein, we report the mechanical properties of the gels as a function of solvent, polymer concentration, and inner block length. Structural information about the gels was obtained through pulsed field gradient NMR experiments and confocal microscopy. |
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