Electrospinning of plant oil-based, non-isocyanate polyurethanes for biomedical applications

Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU) have rapidly emerged as a sustainable, less toxic, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional isocyanate-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) synthesis. TPU is widely used in the medical industry due to its excellent mechanical properties and elasticity. However, little work has been done to synthesize and electrospin NIPU into fibrous mats for biomedical applications. In this work, melt polymerization of a plant oil-based cyclic carbonate monomer with polyether soft segments and various diamines yielded isocyanate-free, segmented poly(amide hydroxyurethane)s (PAHUs). Electrospinning of segmented PAHUs afforded ductile, free-standing fibrous mats with Young's modulus values between 7 and 8 MPa, suitable for tissue scaffold applications. PAHU fiber mats exhibited 3-4 times greater water uptake than the electrospun TPU control, demonstrating potential utility in drug delivery. Fibroblasts adhered to electrospun PAHU fibrous mats with viability values over 90% after 72-h, validating its biocompatibility. The results highlight the high performance and potential of electrospun isocyanate-free polyurethanes mats for biomedical application. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46464.