Biocompatibility and adhesive strength properties of poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) as a function of acrylic acid content

Abstract

Metals and metal alloys are widely used in medical devices that contact blood and/or tissue, and various coating materials for the metal parts have been proposed to improve surface properties such as biocompatibility. This study aims to understand the performance of new coating materials, copolymers of methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, in terms of their biocompatibility and adhesive strength to a metal surface. Blood compatibility was investigated through platelet and coagulation system responses. Cytocompatibility was studied in three cell-line types (endothelium, smooth muscle, and fibroblasts) in terms of cell viability and morphology; these tests showed that compatibility depended on the cell types and acrylic acid content of the copolymers. Because of their blood compatibility and adhesion strength, the methyl acrylate and acrylic acid copolymers containing 10–24 mol% acrylic acid were found to be excellent candidates as potential coating materials for devices contacting blood.