Polymeric Biomaterials

This chapter reviews basic chemical and physical properties of the synthetic polymers, the sterilization of the polymeric biomaterials, the importance of the surface treatment for improving biocompatibility, and the application of the chemogradient surface for the study on cell-to-polymer interactions. In addition, each chain can have side groups, branches, and copolymeric chains or blocks which can also interfere with the long-range ordering of chains. As the molecular chains become longer by the progress of polymerization, their relative mobility decreases. In particular, the chemical composition and arrangement of chains will have a great effect on the properties. Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers are produced by three monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. Polyurethanes are usually thermosetting polymers: they are widely used to coat implants. Some have studied the interactions of different types of cultured cells or blood proteins with various polymers with different wettabilities to correlate the surface wettability and blood or tissue compatibility.