Researchers in the UK and U.S. are touting a new thermoplastic biomaterial capable of “fine-tuning” for use in soft tissue repair or bioelectronics.
According to a news release, the material, which is a type of polyester, has been developed by a team at the University of Birmingham (UK) and Duke University (U.S.) for use in repairing soft tissue or flexible bioelectronics by fine-tuning it to enable the rate at which it degrades in the body and allow its mechanical properties to be controlled independently.
The team has shown how the addition of succinic acid, which is naturally found within the body, can be used to control the degradation rate, allowing the polyester biomaterial to degrade gradually over a period of four months as healthy tissues grow in and eventually replace the implant. Tests in rats confirmed the material’s biocompatibility and safety, the researchers said.
Researchers determined that, by varying the amounts of suc…