Sadeghi Farhad, Zamani Yasaman, Bear Kaylee Lynn, Kheradvar Arash
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine 2420 Engineering Hall Irvine CA 92697-2730 USA
RSC Adv. 2025 Mar 21;15(11):8839-8850. doi: 10.1039/d5ra00568j. eCollection 2025 Mar 17.
Polycarbonate polyurethane (PCU) resins are widely used in biomedical applications due to their excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and resistance to degradation. The performance of these materials in implantable devices depends on factors such as hardness, molecular weight, and their interactions with cells and tissues. Understanding the relationship between material properties and biological outcomes is essential for optimizing their use in medical devices. In this study, three PCU resins were selected for evaluation as potential polymer implant materials: Chronoflex (CF) 65D, and two Carbothane (CB) samples 95A with different molecular weights. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed that the storage modulus was primarily influenced by the hard domain content, with greater elasticity observed at higher frequencies and lower temperatures. Tensile hysteresis behavior at room temperature was strongly correlated with hardness, with lower hardness samples demonstrating improved strain recovery. Cytotoxicity testing indicated cell viability above 70% for both CF and CB films. Normal Human Lung Fibroblasts (NHLF) grown on CF films exhibited a more homogeneous distribution across the surface, adopting an elongated morphology that conformed closely to the underlying topography. In contrast, cells on CB films tend to aggregate, forming clustered structures. This study demonstrates that the mechanical and biological performance of PCU resins is closely linked to their hardness, molecular weight, and structural composition. The results highlight that a morphology with a higher proportion of hard domains produces a more uniform and favorable environment for cell adhesion and organization.
聚碳酸酯聚氨酯（PCU）树脂因其优异的机械性能、生物相容性和抗降解性而被广泛应用于生物医学领域。这些材料在可植入装置中的性能取决于硬度、分子量以及它们与细胞和组织的相互作用等因素。了解材料性能与生物学结果之间的关系对于优化其在医疗设备中的应用至关重要。在本研究中，选择了三种PCU树脂作为潜在的聚合物植入材料进行评估：Chronoflex（CF）65D以及两种不同分子量的Carbothane（CB）样品95A。动态力学分析（DMA）表明，储能模量主要受硬段含量的影响，在较高频率和较低温度下观察到更大的弹性。室温下的拉伸滞后行为与硬度密切相关，硬度较低的样品表现出更好的应变恢复。细胞毒性测试表明，CF和CB薄膜的细胞活力均高于70%。在CF薄膜上生长的正常人肺成纤维细胞（NHLF）在表面呈现出更均匀的分布，呈现出细长的形态，与下层地形紧密贴合。相比之下，CB薄膜上的细胞倾向于聚集，形成簇状结构。本研究表明，PCU树脂的机械性能和生物学性能与其硬度、分子量和结构组成密切相关。结果表明，硬段比例较高的形态为细胞粘附和组织提供了更均匀、更有利的环境。
