%V 71
%N 3
%A Mariacristina Gagliardi
%D 2013
%I Springer
%L eprints3248
%X In the last years, drug-eluting stents (DES) were considered as an important biomedical technology for cardiovascular intervention. In these devices, a thin polymer coating covers the metallic structure, aiming at the release of one or more active principles with controlled delivery kinetics. During DES implantation, structural failures on the thin coating may occur because of the mechanical expansion of the structure. The presence of a drug in the polymer matrix could severely influence mechanical properties, thus a mechanical characterisation of polymers and drug-loaded matrices results fundamental. To characterise a material produced for the manufacturing of drug-loaded coatings for DES, in the present work the thermomechanical analysis of an acrylic copolymer loaded with a drug is proposed. Obtained results showed that macromolecular composition could be varied to obtain the desired mechanical compliance; in addition, the drug can act as plasticiser. The present study would underline that it is possible to control mechanical properties by synthesising a tailored copolymer; furthermore, the importance of the study of the final system is fundamental when a polymer is considered as potential candidate to obtain coatings for DES.
%K Coatings; Thermal properties; Mechanical properties; Drug eluting stents; Poly(methylmethacrylate-co-butylmethacrylate)
%R 10.1007/s00289-013-1075-0
%T On the effect of macromolecular composition and drug loading on thermal and tensile mechanical properties of methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate copolymers
%P 533-544
%J Polymer Bulletin