Stabilitet av linolsyra och dess reaktivitet med bencementkomponenter

Akrylbaserat bencement är den gyllene standarden vid ryggförstärkningsförfaranden. Modifiering av akrylbencement med linolsyra har resulterat i attraktiva egenskaper vilka möjliggör lättare hantering för kirurger och minskar efterföljande komplikationer såsom närliggande ryggradsfrakturer. Även om de attraktiva egenskaperna hos linolsyramodifierat bencement är kända är ännu förståelsen för hur linolsyra påverkar egenskaperna outforskade. Som en komponent i bencement måste linolsyra steriliseras innan den används i bencement. Det finns emellertid oro för att autoklavsterilisering av linolsyra orsakar nedbrytning. Dessutom är det oklart vad som händer med linolsyra i härdat bencement över tid. I detta examensarbete utvärderades steriliserad och osteriliserad linolsyra. Linolsyra blandades med olika komponenter som finns i bencementet såsom aktivator, initiator, monomer och inhibitor, i närvaro och frånvaro av lösningsmedel. De efterföljande förändringarna studerades genom 1H NMR och UV-VIS. Resultaten visade att linolsyra bryts ned av sterilisering och oxidation. Oxidationen av linolsyra berodde på sterilisering, temperatur, lösningsmedel och mängden syrexponering. Det bekräftades genom 1H NMR och UV-VIS att linolsyra reagerade (steriliserad och osteriliserad) med aktivatorn, initiatorn och monomeren. Dessa reaktioner kan minska tillgängligheten av komponenterna för in situ-polymerisation av monomeren, och därmed förändra bencementens egenskaper, vilket i sin tur bidrar till lättare hantering under förstärkningsförfarandet och reducerar intilliggande ryggradsfrakturer efter operation.Acrylic bone cement is the gold standard in vertebral augmentation procedures. Modification of acrylic bone cement using linoleic acid has resulted in attractive properties that enable convenient handling by surgeons and reduce follow-up complications such as adjacent vertebral fractures. Even though the attractive properties of linoleic acid-modified bone cement are acknowledged, the understanding of how it imparts those properties remain unexplored. As a component in bone cement, linoleic acid needs to be sterilized before its use in bone cement. However, there are apprehensions whether autoclave sterilization of linoleic acid causes degradation. In addition, it is unclear what happens with linoleic acid in hardened bone cement over time.  In this thesis, sterilized and unsterilized linoleic acid were evaluated alone and treated with different components of the bone cement such as activator, initiator, monomer, and inhibitor, in the presence and absence of solvent, and the ensuing changes were monitored through 1H NMR and UV-VIS. The results showed that linoleic acid degraded due to sterilization and oxidation. The oxidation of linoleic acid depended on sterilization, temperature, solvent, and the amount of oxygen exposure. As confirmed through 1H NMR and UV-VIS, linoleic acid (sterilized and unsterilized) reacted with the activator, initiator, and monomer. These reactions could reduce the availability of the components for the in-situ polymerization of the monomer, thus altering the properties of the bone cement including convenient handling during the operation and reduced adjacent vertebral fractures post the operation

2-Methoxy-4-Vinylphenol as a Biobased Monomer Precursor for Thermoplastics and Thermoset Polymers

To address the increasing demand for biobased materials, lignin-derived ferulic acid (FA) is a promising candidate. In this study, an FA-derived styrene-like monomer, referred to as 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (MVP), was used as the platform to prepare functional monomers for radical polymerizations. Hydrophobic biobased monomers derived from MVP were polymerized via solution and emulsion polymerization resulting in homo- and copolymers with a wide range of thermal properties, thus showcasing their potential in thermoplastic applications. Moreover, divinylbenzene (DVB)-like monomers were prepared from MVP by varying the aliphatic chain length between the MVP units. These biobased monomers were thermally crosslinked with thiol-bearing reagents to produce thermosets with different crosslinking densities in order to demonstrate their thermosetting applications. The results of this study expand the scope of MVP-derived monomers that can be used in free-radical polymerizations toward the preparation of new biobased and functional materials from lignin

1-Year pullout strength and degradation of ultrasound welded vs tapped craniomaxillofacial fixation screws

A knowledge on the pullout forces of degradable craniomaxillofacial screws is essential in designing pediatric cranial implants. Herein, four non-identical commercially available screws composed of different aliphatic polyesters were fixated to 3D-printed poly(L-lactide) screw hole test rig and onto a bone substitute material using manual tapping and ultrasonic welding fixation techniques. A method for mechanical testing was developed to determine and compare their quasi-static pullout strength. The degradation of the screws was followed for up to one year in three different degrading environments. While the screw size influences the initial pullout force, the degrading environment, size, and screw composition determine the degradation rate which in turn influences the pullout force over time. Given the limited availability of standard methods, the method developed herein can be used in determining the pullout forces of degradable craniomaxillofacial screws and comparing the effectiveness of various screw insertion techniques