Granted Patent B2

US 8,093,313 · App. 12/606,771 · Granted Jan 10, 2012

Abstract

Claims (19)

1. A method comprising:

modifying a first biocompatible polymer with a primer group to form a modified biocompatible polymer;

blending the modified biocompatible polymer with a second biocompatible polymer and an inorganic material; and

allowing the primer group of the modified biocompatible polymer to react with the inorganic material to form a biocompatible polymeric composite;

wherein the primer group comprises a silane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a molecular weight of the first biocompatible polymer is less than a molecular weight of the second biocompatible polymer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible polymer is a polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polycaprolactone, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), polycarbonate, polyamide, polyanhydride, polyamino acids, polyorthoester, polyacetate, polycyanoacrylate, degradable polyurethane, degradable polyester, or a co-polymer or blend thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible polymer is polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(3-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxypropionate), poly(2-hydroxybutyrate), poly(4-hydroxybutyrate), poly(4-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxyhexanoate), poly(3-hydroxyheptanoate), poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate), poly(3-hydroxynonanoate), poly(3-hydroxytridecanoate), poly(3-hydroxytetradecanoate), poly(3-hydroxypentadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyhexadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyheptadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyoctadecanoate), or a co-polymer or blend thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second biocompatible polymer is a polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polycaprolactone, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), polycarbonate, polyamide, polyanhydride, polyamino acids, polyorthoester, polyacetate, polycyanoacrylate, degradable polyurethane, degradable polyester, or a co-polymer or blend thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second biocompatible polymer is polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(3-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxypropionate), poly(2-hydroxybutyrate), poly(4-hydroxybutyrate), poly(4-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxyhexanoate), poly(3-hydroxyheptanoate, poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate, poly(3-hydroxynonanoate), poly(3-hydroxytridecanoate), poly(3-hydroxytetradecanoate), poly(3-hydroxypentadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyhexadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyheptadecanoate), poly(3-hydroxyoctadecanoate), or a co-polymer or blend thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible polymer is polylactic acid.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic material is a glass or a ceramic material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic material is bioactive glass, hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, or a mixture of any two or more thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a molecular weight of the first biocompatible polymer is less than 5000 g/mol and a molecular weight of the second biocompatible polymer is greater than 50,000 g/mol.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silane is a trialkoxysilane, a trihalosilane, or a triaminoalkylsilane.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the allowing the primer group of the modified biocompatible polymer to react with the inorganic material comprises forming a covalent bond between the modified biocompatible polymer and the inorganic material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the allowing the primer group of the modified biocompatible polymer to react with the inorganic material comprises adding an acid catalyst.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the biocompatible polymer composite into a medical device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the medical device is a tissue scaffold or a bone scaffold.

Assignments (7)