Functional polymers can be synthesized to have different useful properties through the designed placement of various organic functional groups. Bottlebrush polymers are a type of functional polymer with multiple applications such as replacements for hydrogels, templates for carbon nanotubes, and medical applications.
Currently biocompatible polymers are used as coatings on biomedical devices, as micro- and nanoparticles, and even for targeted drug delivery. These polymers can respond to different stimuli but even with various polymers available, it can be difficult to find one polymer that meets multiple requirements in a cost effective manner.
An FSU inventor synthesized novel biocompatible polymers. These materials are highly functional and hydrophilic and have tunable properties. They are strong adhesives on multiple surfaces but can also be easily detached. The biomedical adhesives have the potential to greatly improve the medical industry.
Advantages and Applications
- Tunable properties such as stiffness
- Enhanced adhesion properties on universal surfaces
- Easily cleaved to decrease adhesion
- Highly hydrophilic
- Biocompatible
- Can be used for
- localized drug delivery
- coatings on biomedical devices
- biomedical adhesive
