Novel Biodegradable Elastomeric Scaffold for Tissue Engineering and Light Scattering Fingerprinting Methods for Testing the Same
The present invention is directed to a novel biocompatible polymer that may be used in tissue engineering. More specifically, the specification describes methods and compositions for making and using citric acid copolymers.
1 - 14 . (canceled)
15 . A method of producing a thermoset elastomer comprising crosslinked polyesters having the formula:
wherein R is selected from a hydrogen or a poly(diol citrate), and wherein each A is a linear aliphatic diol monomer; comprising the steps of:
(a) polymerizing citric acid and said linear aliphatic diol monomer to produce poly(diol citrate) pre-polymers; and
(b) crosslinking the poly(diol citrate) pre-polymers to produce the elastomeric network.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the crosslinking step is done at lower temperature than the polymerizing step.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polymerizing step is done at 120-140°.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the crosslinking step is done at about 60-120° C.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each A is O(CH2) x O, and X is between 2 and 20.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein X is between 4 and 18.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the linear aliphatic diol monomer is 1,8-ocantediol, 1,10-decanediol, or 1,12-dodecanediol.
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each linear aliphatic diol monomer is the same.
23 . A thermoset elastomer produced by the method of claim 15 .
24 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the crosslinking step is performed under vacuum.