Study On Synthesis And Properties Of Poly(Propylene Fumarate)

Poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) is an unsaturated linear polyester with fumarate double bonds that can be crosslinked in situ. It can be formulated as bone cement and orthopaedic scaffold for bone tissue regeneration, and as drug delivery system. The properties of the composites based on PPF for orthopaedic applications can be tailored for specific applications by varying different parameters including crosslinking density and molecular weight of PPF. Furthermore, the composites can include solid-phase components such as β-TCP for increasing mechanical strength and osteoconductivity. PPF was synthesized by step polymerization using bis(2-hydroxypropyl fumarate)(PFP) as starting materials. PFP was prepared by reacting fumaryl chloride and propylene glycol. The influences of synthesis conditions on the structure and the performance of product are discussed. In the experiments, BPO was used as initiator and PPF was crosslinked with N-vinyl pyrrolidone (N-VP). At the same time, adding β-TCP can produce bone cements with preferable mechanical properties. The degradability and gel of PPF/N-VP has been studyed preliminary.