Solidification of poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) via block copolymerization with poly(methyl methacrylate)

Antithrombogenicity is one of the most important properties required for a material used in the biomedical applications, especially for the devices used in direct contact with blood. It is known that poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) has an excellent antithrombogenicity. However, due to its low Tg (~ -20°C), a PMEA homopolymer is liquid-like, which cannot be directly used as a solid material. In this study, we attempted to solidify the PMEA by the block copolymerization with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a hard segment, possessing a high Tg (~ 110°C). The synthesized MMA-MEA-MMA triblock copolymer exhibited two Tgs due to the PMEA block (~ -20°C) and the PMMA blocks (~ 110°C). The triblock copolymer could be mold-pressed at 180°C, and the resulting molded film exhibited elastomeric characteristics. Moreover, when the volume fraction of MMA was below 0.4, the triblock copolymer exhibited an excellent antithrombogenicity similar to that of a PMEA homopolymer. The triblock copolymer could be used as a rubber-like material with thermoplastic and antithrombogenic properties.