A nanostructured carbon-reinforced polyisobutylene-based thermoplastic elastomer

This paper presents the synthesis and characterization Of a polyisobutylene (PIB)-based nanostructured carbon-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer This thermoplastic elastomer is based oil a self-assembling block copolymer having a branched PIB core carrying -OH functional groups at each branch point. flanked by blocks of poly(isobutylene-co-para-methylstyrene). The block copolymer has thermolabile physical crosslinks and can be processed as a plastic, yet retains its rubbery properties at room temperature The carbon-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer had more than twice the tensile strength of the neat polymer, exceeding the strength of medical grade silicone rubber, while remaining significantly softer. The carbon-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer displayed a high T(g) of 126 degrees C, rendering the material steam-sterilizable The carbon also acted as a free radical trap. Increasing the onset temperature of thermal decomposition in the neat polymer from 256 6 degrees C to 327 7 degrees C The carbon-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer had the lowest water contact angle at 82 degrees and Surface nano-topography After 180 clays of implantation into rabbit soft tissues, the carbon-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer had the thinnest tissue Capsule around the microdumbbell specimens, with no cosinophiles present The material also showed excellent integration into bones (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved