Thermoplastic Polyurethanes From Undecylenic Acid-Based Soft Segments: Structural Features and Release Properties

A set of thermoplastic polyurethanes is synthesized, combining undecylenic acid-derived telechelic diols as soft segments and 1,4-butanediol/4,4-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) as a hard segment (HS). These polymers are fully chemically and physically characterized by means of NMR and Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile testing, and contact angle measurements. The obtained results reveal that both the molecular weight of the diol and the HS content greatly influence the physical and mechanical properties of these polymers. In addition, given the potential use of these materials for biomedical applications, hydrolytic degradation, their biocompatibility using a human fibroblast cell line, and performance as drug delivery carriers are evaluated.