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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 18260

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nurettin Sahiner

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1. Department of Ophthalmology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12,901 Bruce B Downs B. Downs Blv., MDC 21, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
2. Nanoscience and Technology Research and Application Center, Department of Chemistry, Terzioglu Campus, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey
Interests: polymer network; natural polymer; synthetic polymers; hydrogel; microgel; nanogel; polymeric particles, interpenetrating network; drug delivery; surface modification; tissue engineering; scaffolds; sensor; theragnostic; antibiotic/antifungal/antiviral/antioxidant particles; polymer composites; optical device; medical device; targeted drug delivery; artificial organs; superporous structures; medical textile; wound healing; MR imaging; biomimetic; actuators; polymeric ionic liquids; natural catalyst

Dr. Selin S. Suner

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Arts, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Terzioglu, & Terzioglu Campus, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey
Interests: natural polymers, hydrogel; microgel; nanogel; cryogel; biodegradation; biocompatible; blood compatible; antibacterial/antifungal materials; antioxidant materials; anticancer materials; drug delivery; polymeric composites

Prof. Dr. Nahit Aktas

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Interests: Hydrogel; organogel; drug delivery; enzymatic polymerization; biosensors; smart materials, package materials; imprinting; surface modification; catalyst

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymeric materials in various formulations, sizes, and interfaces can be used in a wide range of applications in the biomedical fields, spanning from artificial organs to infection treatment tools as intelligent materials.

Polymeric particles, microgels, nanogels;
Porous polymer network: hydrogels, interpenetrating networks, and cryogels;
Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant polymers;
Multipurpose drug delivery devices based on synthetic and natural polymers;
Polymeric fibers and films for wound dressing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering;
Polymeric composite and surface modification of medical devices;
Polymers for theragnostic;
Polymer sensors and actuators;
Polymer-based artificial organs;
Sticky polymers;
Polymeric structures for enzyme immobilization;
Biomedical devices;
Smart materials and surfaces;
Biomimetic material;
Biocompatible and biodegradable;
Optical devices.

Dr. Nurettin Sahiner
Dr. Selin S. Suner
Prof. Dr. Nahit Aktas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

microgel/nanogels
drug delivery
antibacterial/antifungal polymers
polymeric composites
medical textile
sensor
artificial organs
biomaterials

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phosphorylcholine-Functionalized PEDOT-Gated Organic Electrochemical Transistor Devices for Ultra-Specific and Sensitive C-Reactive Protein Detection

by Sihao Qian, Shouyan Zhang, Danni Chen, Jun Wang, Wei Wu, Shuhua Zhang, Zhi Geng, Yong He and Bo Zhu

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3739; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183739 - 12 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2553

Abstract

Affinity-based organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) sensors offer an attractive approach to point-of-care diagnostics due to their extreme sensitivity and easy operation; however, their application in the real world is frequently challenged by the poor storage stability of antibody proteins and the interference from biofouling in complex biofluids. In this work, we developed an antibody-free and antifouling OECT biosensor to detect C-reactive protein (CRP) at ultra-high specificity and sensitivity. The key to this novel biosensor is the gate coated by phosphorylcholine-functionalized poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT-PC), which possesses large capacitance and low impedance, prevents biofouling of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the fetal bovine serum (FBS), and interacts specifically with CRP molecules in the presence of calcium ions. This PEDOT-PC-gated OECT biosensor demonstrated exceptional sensitivity when detecting the CRP molecules at 10 pg/mL, while significantly depressing the signal from the nonspecific binding. This indicates that this biosensor could detect the CRP molecules directly without nonspecific binding blocking, the usual process for the earlier transistor sensors before detection. We envision that this PEDOT-PC-gated OECT biosensor platform may offer a potentially valuable tool for point-of-care diagnostics as it alleviates concerns about poor antibody stability and BSA blocking inconstancy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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21 pages, 9095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reinforcement of Injectable Hydrogel for Meniscus Tissue Engineering by Using Cellulose Nanofiber from Cassava Pulp

by Rachasit Jeencham, Tulyapruek Tawonsawatruk, Piya-on Numpaisal and Yupaporn Ruksakulpiwat

Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2092; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092092 - 27 Apr 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2144

Abstract

Injectable hydrogels can be applied to treat damaged meniscus in minimally invasive conditions. Generally, injectable hydrogels can be prepared from various polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). Poly (ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer-diacrylate (PEO-PPO-PEO-DA) is an interesting polymer due to its biodegradability and can be prepared as water-insoluble injectable hydrogel after curing with UV light at low intensity. However, mechanical and cell adhesion properties are not optimal for these hydrogels. For the improved mechanical performance of the injectable hydrogel, cellulose nanofiber (CNF) extracted from cassava pulp was used as a reinforcing filler in this study. In addition, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), the denatured form of collagen was used to enhance cell adhesion. PEO-PPO-PEO-DA/CNF/GelMA injectable hydrogels were prepared with 2-hydroxy-1-(4-(hydroxy ethoxy) phenyl)-2-methyl-1-propanone as a photoinitiator and then cured with UV light, 365 nm at 6 mW/cm². Physicochemical characteristics of the hydrogels and hydrogels with CNF were studied in detail including morphology characterization, pore size diameter, porosity, mechanical properties, water uptake, and swelling. In addition, cell viability was also studied. CNF-reinforced injectable hydrogels were successfully prepared after curing with UV light within 10 min with a thickness of 2 mm. CNF significantly improved the mechanical characteristics of injectable hydrogels. The incorporation of GelMA into the injectable hydrogels improved the viability of human cartilage stem/progenitor cells. At optimum formulation, 12%PEO-PPO-PEO-DA/0.5%CNF/3%GelMA injectable hydrogels significantly promoted cell viability (>80%) and also showed good physicochemical properties, which met tissue engineering requirements. In summary, this work shows that these novel injectable hydrogels have the potential for meniscus tissue engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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20 pages, 3484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Effects of Waterborne Polyurethane 3D Scaffolds Containing Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)s of Different Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Ratios on the Inflammatory Response

by Guanyu Zhang, Ao Zhen, Jinlin Chen, Bohong Du, Feng Luo, Jiehua Li and Hong Tan

Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1786; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071786 - 4 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

The physical and chemical properties of tissue engineering scaffolds have considerable effects on the inflammatory response at the implant site in soft tissue repair. The development of inflammation-modulating polymer scaffolds for soft tissue repair is attracting increasing attention. In this study, in order to regulate the inflammatory response at the implant site, a series of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) scaffolds with different properties were synthesized using polyethylene glycol (PEG), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly (lactic acid)–glycolic acid copolymers (PLGAs) with three lactic acid/glycolic acid (LA/GA) ratios as the soft segments. Then, scaffolds were obtained using freeze-drying. The WPU scaffolds exhibited a porous cellular structure, high porosity, proper mechanical properties for repairing nerve tissue and an adjustable degradation rate. In vitro cellular experiments showed that the degradation solution possessed high biocompatibility. The in vitro inflammatory response of C57BL/6 mouse brain microglia (immortalized) (BV2) cells demonstrated that the LA/GA ratio of the PLGA in WPU scaffolds can regulate the external inflammatory response by altering the secretion of IL-10 and TNF-α. Even the IL-10/TNF-α of PU5050 (3.64) reached 69 times that of the control group (0.053). The results of the PC12 culture on the scaffolds showed that the scaffolds had positive effects on the growth, proliferation and differentiation of nerve cells and could even promote the formation of synapses. Overall, these scaffolds, particularly the PU5050, indeed prevent BV2 cells from differentiating into a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, which makes them promising candidates for reducing the inflammatory response and repairing nerve tissue. Furthermore, PU5050 had the best effect on preventing the transformation of BV2 cells into the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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17 pages, 3985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate/Gelatin/Alginate Scaffolds Reinforced with Nano TiO₂ as a Promising Curcumin Release Platform

by Marija M. Babić Radić, Vuk V. Filipović, Jovana S. Vuković, Marija Vukomanović, Tatjana Ilic-Tomic, Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic and Simonida Lj. Tomić

Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1643; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071643 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3486

Abstract

The idea of this study was to create a new scaffolding system based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, gelatin, and alginate that contains titanium(IV) oxide nanoparticles as a platform for the controlled release of the bioactive agent curcumin. The innovative strategy to develop hybrid scaffolds was the modified porogenation method. The effect of the scaffold composition on the chemical, morphology, porosity, mechanical, hydrophilicity, swelling, degradation, biocompatibility, loading, and release features of hybrid scaffolds was evaluated. A porous structure with interconnected pores in the range of 52.33–65.76%, favorable swelling capacity, fully hydrophilic surfaces, degradability to 45% for 6 months, curcumin loading efficiency above 96%, and favorable controlled release profiles were obtained. By applying four kinetic models of release, valuable parameters were obtained for the curcumin/PHEMA/gelatin/alginate/TiO₂ release platform. Cytotoxicity test results depend on the composition of the scaffolds and showed satisfactory cell growth with visible cell accumulation on the hybrid surfaces. The constructed hybrid scaffolds have suitable high-performance properties, suggesting potential for further in vivo and clinical studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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18 pages, 5530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Triclosan to Improve the Antimicrobial Performance of Universal Adhesives

by Yubin Yang, Jingyu Ding, Xuanyan Zhu, Zilu Tian and Song Zhu

Polymers 2023, 15(2), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020304 - 6 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2146

Abstract

To solve the proble ms of composite restoration failure caused by secondary caries, this study reports a light curable antibacterial triclosan derivative (TCS-IH), which was synthesized and added to the existing commercial universal adhesive to achieve a long-term antibacterial effect The effect of mixing different mass percentages of TCS-IH on the bond strength of dentin was also investigated.TCS-IH was synthesized by solution polymerization and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (¹H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two commercial universal adhesives, Single Bond Universal and All Bond Universal, were selected and used as the control group, and universal adhesives with different mass percentages (1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt% and 7 wt%) of TCS-IH were used as the experimental group. The antibacterial properties were analysed by means of colony count experiments, biofilm formation detection, plotting of growth curves, biofilm metabolic activity detection, insoluble extracellular polysaccharide measurements and observations by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of adhesives on biofilm formation, metabolism, extracellular matrix production, distribution of live and dead bacteria, and bacterial morphology of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was analysed. The mechanical properties were evaluated by the degree of conversion and microtensile bonding strength under different conditions. Its biosafety was tested. We found that the addition of TCS-IH significantly improved the antibacterial performance of the universal adhesive, with the 5 wt% and 7 wt% groups showing the best antibacterial effect and effectively inhibiting the formation of biofilm. In addition, the adhesive strength test results showed that there was no statistical difference (p < 0.05) in the microtensile bond strength measured under various factors in all experimental groups except for the 7 wt% group in the self-etch bonding mode, and all of them had good biosafety. In summary, the 5 wt% group of antibacterial monomer TCS-IH was selected as the optimum addition to the universal adhesive to ensure the antimicrobial properties of the universal adhesive and the stability and durability of the adhesive interface. This study provides a reference for the clinical application of adhesives with antimicrobial activity to improve the stability and durability of adhesive restorations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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11 pages, 3619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Titanium and PEEK Medical Plastic Implant Materials for Their Bacterial Biofilm Formation Properties

by Sonia Sarfraz, Pilvi-Helinä Mäntynen, Marisa Laurila, Sami Rossi, Junnu Leikola, Mika Kaakinen, Juho Suojanen and Justus Reunanen

Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3862; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183862 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4140

Abstract

This study investigated two of the most commonly used CAD–CAM materials for patient-specific reconstruction in craniomaxillofacial surgery. The aim of this study was to access the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli on titanium and PEEK medical implant materials. Two titanium specimens (titanium grade 2 tooled with a Planmeca CAD–CAM milling device and titanium grade 5 tooled with a computer-aided design direct metal laser sintering device (CAD-DMLS)) and one PEEK specimen tooled with a Planmeca CAD–CAM milling device were studied. Bacterial adhesion on implants was evaluated in two groups (saliva-treated group and non-saliva-treated group) to imitate intraoral and extraoral surgical routes for implant placement. The PEEK medical implant material showed higher bacterial adhesion by S. aureus, S. mutans, and E. coli than titanium grade 2 and titanium grade 5, whereas E. faecalis showed higher adhesion to titanium as compared to PEEK. Saliva contamination of implants also effected bacterial attachment. Salivary coating enhanced biofilm formation by S. aureus, S. mutans, and E. faecalis. In conclusion, our findings imply that regardless of the implant material type or tooling techniques used, salivary coating plays a vital role in bacterial adhesion. In addition, the majority of the bacterial strains showed higher adhesion to PEEK than titanium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Structures for Biomedical Use)

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