Thermal and mechanical properties of polyurethanes modified with L-ascorbic acid

Abstract

In this study we report the thermal and mechanical properties of polyurethanes modified with ascorbic acid (AA). Ascorbic acid was used as a modifier at concentration of 1 or 2 mass%. The antioxidative properties of AA may improve the biocompatibility of the obtained materials, which were designed for biomedical applications. In this paper we describe characterization of obtained unmodified and ascorbic acid modified polyurethanes with the use of following methods: dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and mechanical tests including tensile strength, elongation at break, abrasive resistance, and hardness. Results of performed studies suggests that synthesized polyurethane materials may be suitable candidates for biomedical applications such as tissue scaffolds or implants, where required tensile strength is in the range of 1–14 MPa and elongation at break is approximately in the range of 100–380 %.