Development and characterization of segmented polyurethanes based on L-amino acid based chain extenders

Polyurethanes are a class of polymer which may find use, for example, as biomedical implants. In this thesis, amino acid based chain extenders are prepared which can be used to control the physical properties of the polymer. These included chain extenders which had not been synthesised before. The resultant polymers were flexible but not very strong, thermally stable, hydrophobic, biocompatible with respect to the cell-lines so far studied, and expected to be fully biodegradable. These properties were systematically controlled by the use of different chain extenders and the results should prove invaluable to future design of polyurethanes for biomedical applications.