title: Thermoresponsive macroporous scaffolds prepared by emulsion templating.
abstract: A versatile method to prepare non-covalently crosslinked polyHIPEs hydrogels from oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) whose aqueous phase contained thermo-responsive linear polymers is described. The interconnected pore structure of the polyHIPEs is maintained by reversible physical aggregation of thermo-responsive polymer chains in an aqueous environment. This method to prepare interconnected porous hydrogels using a thermal trigger in the guise of thermo-responsive polymers by emulsion templating requires no chemical reaction during solidification of the template. This particular feature could provide a safer route to injectable scaffolds as issues of polymerisation/crosslinking chemistry and residual initiator fragments or monomers do not arise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Shengzhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bismarck
authors.forename: Joachim H G
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Steinke
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004655:Emulsions; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004655:Emulsions; D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers