Biodegradable and temperature-responsive thermoset polyesters with renewable monomers

Abstract

A series of biodegradable thermoset polyesters, poly(1,8-octanediol–glycerol–dodecanediaote)s (POGDAs), were synthesized with the polycondensation polymerization method without a catalyst and with different monomer molar ratios. Synthesis was confirmed with structural analysis via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of varying the monomer molar ratio on the material properties was illustrated in the gel content and swelling analysis, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and degradation tests. Degradation tests were performed in phosphate-buffered solution at 37 °C for 60 days. Temperature-responsive behavior was revealed with POGDA (0.5 glycerol), and bending tests were performed to study the shape-memory effect. In vitro cytotoxicity tests and cell proliferation tests suggested that these POGDAs have potential applications in biomedical fields such as tissue engineering.