BIODEGRADABLE SIDE CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTAL ELASTOMERS: SMART RESPONSIVE SCAFFOLDS (SRS) FOR TISSUE REGENERATION
First Claim
1. A star block copolymer having pendant liquid crystal side chains, comprising:
- a core derived from a polyol; and
a plurality of random block polymers comprising;
a polymer block derived from halide substituted lactone monomers;
a polymer block derived from lactone monomers or isomers thereof; and
a polymer block derived from lactide monomers;
said halide containing block polymer having a plurality of non-toxic, biocompatible liquid crystal chains pendant therefrom that are substituted for or added at said halide site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Controlled biodegradable smart responsive scaffold (SRS) materials enhance attachment and viability of cells, i.e. actively guiding their expansion, proliferation and in some cases differentiation, while increasing their biomechanical functionality is an important key issue for tissue regeneration. Chemically build-in functionality in these biodegradable SRS materials is achieved by varying structural functionalization with biocompatible liquid crystal motifs and general polymer composition allowing for regulation and alteration of tensile strength, surface ordering, bioadhesion and biodegradability, bulk liquid crystal phase behavior, porosity, and cell response to external stimuli. Liquid crystal modification of such polymeric scaffolds is an ideal tool to induce macroscopic ordering events through external stimuli. None of these approaches have been demonstrated in prior art, and the use of biocompatible scaffolds that respond to a variety of external stimuli resulting in a macroscopic ordering event is a novel aspect of the present invention.
6 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A star block copolymer having pendant liquid crystal side chains, comprising:
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a core derived from a polyol; and a plurality of random block polymers comprising; a polymer block derived from halide substituted lactone monomers; a polymer block derived from lactone monomers or isomers thereof; and a polymer block derived from lactide monomers; said halide containing block polymer having a plurality of non-toxic, biocompatible liquid crystal chains pendant therefrom that are substituted for or added at said halide site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A process for forming a star block copolymer having pendant liquid crystal side chains, comprising the steps of:
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forming a random star block copolymer by reacting a core polyol with halide substituted lactone monomers, with lactone monomers or isomers thereof, and with lactide monomers; and subsequently reacting said star block copolymer with an azide compound or an ester compound that is substituted for or added to said star block copolymer at said halide site. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification