DNA adsorption and dynamic mechanical analysis of polymeric oil/oil acid copolymers

A variety of new polymeric materials [Polylinseed oil-g-PMMA (PLO-g-PMMA), Polylinseed oil-g-PS (PLO-g-PS), Polysoybean oil-g-PMMA (PSB-g-PMMA), Polylinoleic acid-g-PMMA (PLina-g-PMMA), Polylinoleic acid-g-PS (PLina-g-PS), Polylinoleic acid-g-PnBMA (PLina-g-PnBMA), Polyhydroxy alkanoate-sy-g-Polysoybean oil-g-PMMA (PHA-PSB-PMMA) and Polyhydroxy alkanoate-sy-g-Polylinoleic acid-g-PMMA (PHA-PLina-PMMA)] were prepared from soluble polymeric oil/oily acid peroxides initiating the co-polymerization of Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Polystyrene (PS) and Poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA). Pure PMMA, PS, PnBMA and these copolymers contain different polymeric oil/oil acid initiators were investigated as to the relationship between their dynamic mechanical properties. The DMA results show that the transition from glassy to rubbery behavior is broad for these polymers due to the presence of the triglyceride/oil acid molecules acting like plasticizers in the system. Furthermore, they were compared with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis results. The mechanical properties of these homopolymer and copolymers were also assessed by tensile tests of the polymers in terms of the stress and strain values at the break point. When these results were compared with those for PMMA and PnBMA, it is worth noting that copolymer samples containing PLO, PSB, or PLina in its structure showed changed stress at their break point or in the strain value at its break point. The contact angle testing and DNA adsorption of oil/oil acid copolymers were also studied. Compared with homopolymers, the hydrophilicity and DNA adsorption of the copolymer samples improved because of the presence of PLO, PSB, or PLina blocks. Considering all these results, it is recommended that the copolymers used as candidate biomaterials.