Poly(glycerol sebacate) methacrylate

Poly(glycerol sebacate) methacrylate (PGS-MA) is a photopolymerizable biodegradable elastomer with tunable mechanical properites that can be used for bioprinting, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine applications including cardiac, nerve, and muscle tissues. PGS is derived from the naturally occuring metabolites glycerol and sebacic acid, which have both been used for FDA approved biomedical applications. The polymer backbone contains ester bonds that can undergo hydrolytic degradation and can also be covalently crosslinked to form a 3D network at higher temperatures under vacuum. The addition of the methacrylate functional groups provides another mechanism of crosslinking via photopolymerization. The PGS-MA can be quickly and efficiently crosslinked under the exposure of UV and visible light in the presence of a photoinitiatior.