To improve the hemocompatibility of the biodegradable medical poly(ether-ester-urethane) (PEEU), containing uniform-size aliphatic hard segments that was prepared in our lab, a copolymer containing phosphorylcholine (PC) groups was blended with the PEEU. The PC-copolymer of poly(MPC-co-EHMA) (PMEH) was first obtained by copolymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA), and then dissolved in mixed solvent of ethanol/chloroform to obtain a homogeneous solution. The composite films (PMPU) with varying PMEH content were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The physicochemical properties of the composite films with varying PMEH content were researched. The PMPU films exhibited higher thermal stability than that of the pure PEEU film. With the PMEH content increasing from 5 to 20 wt%, the PMPU films also possessed satisfied tensile properties with ultimate stress of 22.9-15.8 MPa and strain at break of 925-820%. The surface and bulk hydrophilicity of the films were improved after incorporation of PMEH. In vitro degradation studies indicated that the degradation rate increased with PMEH content, and it took 12-24 days for composite films to become fragments. The protein adsorption and platelet-rich plasma contact tests were adapted to evaluate the surface hemocompatibility of the composite films. It was found that the amount of adsorbed protein and adherent platelet on the surface decreased significantly, and almost no activated platelets were observed when PMEH content was above 5 wt%, which manifested good surface hemocompatibility. Due to the biodegradability, acceptable tensile properties and good surface hemocompatibility, the composites can be expected to be applied in blood-contacting implant materials.
Keywords: MPC copolymers; composites; hemocompatibility; physicochemical properties; poly(ether-ester-urethane).