Progress of supercritical fluid technology in polymerization and its applications in biomedical engineering

Supercritical fluid technology has emerged as a cost-effective and low-hazard alternative to solvent-based methodologies in polymer synthesis, pharmaceutical science, and related biomedical applications. In this review, we first briefly describe the distinctive features of a supercritical fluid, biodegradable polyesters, and lipases. We will then cover the latest progress of supercritical fluid technology in polymerization. Lipase-catalyzed polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) will be the focus of the synthesis section. The last section presents the biomedical applications employing SC-CO2 polymerization, including microcapsule formation for drug delivery, microcellular scaffold fabrication, and SC-CO2 assisted processes for polymer-based treatments, such as surface functionalization, aerogel formation, and fine particle formation. Each topic is illustrated with the most successful examples. Understanding the current progress in SC-CO2 polymerization is an essential step to facilitate the exploration with this green technology in new research frontiers. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.