title: Phase separation and physical properties of PEO-containing poly(ether ester amide)s.
abstract: Poly(ether ester amide) (PEEA) copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), 1,4-butanediol, and dimethyl-7,12-diaza-6,13-dione-1,18-octadecanedioate (a diester-diamide monomer) were synthesized by a two-step polycondensation reaction. The obtained segmented copolymers are hydrophilic, with a water uptake of 24-340%. PEEA copolymers showed microphase separation, as observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The long spacing determined by small-angle X-ray scattering shows an increase in the hydrophilic domain size with increasing PEO content. By varying the copolymer composition, the E-modulus of PEEA could be varied between 61 and 427 MPa, with tensile strengths ranging from 12 to 39 MPa. The elongation at break can reach values up to 850%. The mechanical properties decrease with the uptake of water. However, PEEAs with a relatively low content of PEO still retain good tensile properties and are, in principle, suitable for biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Technology (BMTI), Department of Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Grijpma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feijen
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D004548:Elasticity; D004987:Ethers / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004987:Ethers; D009757:Nylons; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols