Mnemoscience Gmbh

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Zentrum Fur Material Und Kustenforschung Gmbh

Annette Schmidt

Andreas Lendlein

Robert Samuel Langer

Karl Kratz

Jürgen Schulte

Hans Grablowitz

Nok Young Choi

The present invention relates to polymeric networks, which are characterised by particular mechanical properties and which, furthermore, allow the control of thermal and mechanical properties by simple variation of the components.

Polymeric networks

The present invention relates to the penetrating networks comprising a covalently crosslinked polymer component and a polyester urethane component. The materials in accordance with the present invention are suitable in particular as materials for medicinal purposes, as implants, for target controlled stimuli-sensitive drug release, as ligament augmentation and as replacement material for inter-vertebrae disks.

Interpenetrating networks

The present invention relates to polyester urethanes comprising polypentadecalactone segments. These polyester urethanes do show good properties which may be adjusted in a controlled manner. In preferred embodiments the polyester urethanes display additionally polycaprolactone segments. Such polymer may show shape memory effects.

Polyester urethanes

Biodegradable shape memory polymer compositions, articles of manufacture thereof, and methods of preparation and use thereof are described. In one embodiment the compositions include at least one hard segment and at least one soft segment. The T.sub.trans of the hard segment is preferably between -30 and 270.degree. C. At least one of the hard or soft segments can contain a crosslinkable group, and the segments can be linked by formation of an interpenetrating network or a semi-interpenetrating network, or by physical interactions of the segments. Objects can be formed into a given shape at a temperature above the T.sub.trans of the hard segment, and cooled to a temperature below the T.sub.trans of the soft segment. If the object is subsequently formed into a second shape, the object can return to its original shape by heating the object above the T.sub.trans of the soft segment and below the T.sub.trans of the hard segment.

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Neuss, Germany

Annette Schmidt