%0 Journal Article %A Ronca, A. %A Ronca, Sara %A Forte, Giuseppe %A Zeppetelli, S. %A Gloria, A. %A De Santis, R. %A Ambrosio, L. %D 2016 %T Synthesis and characterization of divinyl-fumarate Poly-ε-caprolactone for scaffolds with controlled architectures %U https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Synthesis_and_characterization_of_divinyl-fumarate_Poly-_-caprolactone_for_scaffolds_with_controlled_architectures/9235151 %2 https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/ndownloader/files/16816679 %K Photocrosslinkable polymer %K Polycaprolactone fumarate %K Biocompatibility %K Stereolithography %K Cell-material interactions %K Mathematically defined scaffold %K Materials Engineering not elsewhere classified %X A vinyl-terminated Polycaprolactone has been developed for tissue engineering applications using a one-step synthesis and functionalization method based on Ring Opening Polymerization (ROP) of ԑ-caprolactone, with Hydroxyl Ethyl Vinyl Ether (HEVE) acting both as the initiator of ROP and as photo-curable functional group. The proposed method employs a catalyst based on Al, instead of the most popular Tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate, to reduce the cytotoxicity. Following the synthesis of the vinyl-terminated polycaprolactone, its reaction with Fumaryl Chloride (FuCl) results in a divinyl-fumarate polycaprolactone (VPCLF). The obtained polymers were thoroughly characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) techniques. The polymer has been successfully employed, in combination with N-vinyl Pyrrolidone (NVP), to fabricate films and computer-designed porous scaffolds by micro-stereolithography (μ-SL) with Gyroid and Diamond architectures. Characterization of the networks indicated the influence of NVP content on the network properties. Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) adhered and spread onto VPCLF/NVP networks showing good biological properties and no cytotoxic effect. %I Loughborough University