Polyether F127 (also known as Poloxamer) is a synthetic A-B-A type triblock copolymer with the molecular structure of polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol-polyethylene glycol. The polypropylene glycol segment in the middle of F127 molecule is relatively hydrophobic, while the polyethylene glycol segment at both ends is relatively hydrophilic. This hydrophilic and hydrophobic property enables F127 molecule to self-assemble into nanomicelles in water, which is often used for solubilization and loading of hydrophobic drugs. In addition, F127 has a thermoresponsive gel property, that is, at low temperatures, F127 solution is a fluid, and at higher temperatures, the solution solidifies into a reversible physical gel. The above special physicochemical properties make F127 can be used as a drug carrier, wound dressing, surfactant, 3D printing ink preparation, etc.

Polyether F127 Diacrylate (F127DA) can be photo-crosslinked by introducing methacryloyl groups to the F127 molecular chain. F127DA photocuring hydrogel self-assembles into nanomicelles in water. Its core is hydrophobic chain segment, and its shell is hydrophilic chain segment. It can be evenly dispersed in water as a crosslinking agent and an active drug carrier to enhance the dispersion of hydrophobic substances. In addition, the hydrogel has excellent thermotropic gel (temperature gel) properties, good biosafety, and mechanical properties of high strength and high toughness.

The F127DA product from EFL team (EFL-F127DA series) has stable physical and chemical properties through strict raw material screening and quality testing. It can be cured within 10 seconds with visible light irradiation, has strong material scalability, and can provide a variety of viscoelastic properties to adapt to the biomedical field. For example, it is used as the drug carrier, wound dressing, cell carrier shear protector, biological 3D printing and so on.

Item

Application

High strength hydrogel, drug carrier, biological 3D printing, tissue engineering, etc.

Storage

Dry kit: room temperature, 3 months; 4℃, 12 months; -20℃, 18 months. 

HNMR

Fig 1. Synthesis reaction mechanism and NMR spectrum of F127DA

Rheological property

Fig 2. Rheological properties of F127DA at different concentrations: (A) photocrosslinking process; (B) storage modulus G’ after curing

Fig 3. Rheological properties of F127DA at different concentrations: (A,B)shear thinning; (C,D) temperature rise thermal gelation process (NG=No gelation in table)

Fig 4. Rheological properties of F127 and F127DA at different concentrations and temperatures: (A,B) viscosity of F127; (C,D) viscosity of F127DA

Fig 5. Rheological properties of F127 and F127DA at different concentrations: self-healing property

Compressive/tensile property

Fig 6. Tensile (A,B) and compressive (C,D) properties of F127DA at different concentrations (tensile sample: cross section 1mm x 2mm, length 12mm; Compressed sample: diameter 8.8mm, height 5mm; Curing condition: EFL-LS-1601-405, 30s)

Drug loading performance

F127DA molecule can self-assemble in water to form a micellar structure with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell, which can enhance the dispersion of hydrophobic substances in aqueous solution. EFLers use graphene (EFL-Conduc-Graphene) as a hydrophobic drug model to investigate the dispersion of graphene enhanced by F127DA. The result shows that the precipitation rate of graphene in F127DA solution is slower and the dispersion is better than that of pure water.

Fig 7. Schematic diagram of F127DA small molecule micellization and loading hydrophobic drugs

Fig 8. Dispersion properties of graphene in F127DA aqueous solution（F127DA: 1% w/v; Graphene: 0.1% w/v）

Toughness

EFL-F127DA series hydrogels cure quickly and have adjustable mechanical properties. The hydrogel obtained from 10% F127DA solution irradiated by 405nm light source for 30s shows high toughness.

Video 1. Performance display of F127DA photocurable hydrogel

Fig 9. High toughness of F127DA photocurable hydrogel