Porous Polymer Scaffolds based on Cross‐Linked Poly‐EGDMA and PLA: Manufacture, Antibiotics Encapsulation, and In Vitro Study

Porous polymer materials derived from poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (poly‐EGDMA) and antibiotic containing polylactide (PLA) are obtained for the first time. Porous poly‐EGDMA monoliths with a system of open interconnected pores are synthesized by a visible light‐induced radical polymerization of EGDMA in the presence of 70 wt% of porogenic agent, e.g., 1‐butanol, 1‐hexanol, 1‐octanol, or cyclohexanol. The porosity of the obtained polymers is 75–78%. A modal pore size depends on the nature of the porogen and varies from 0.5 µm (cyclohexanol) to 12 µm (1‐butanol). The polymer matrix made with 1‐butanol features the presence of pores ranging from 1 to 100 µm. The pore surface of poly‐EGDMA matrices is inlayered with poly‐D,L‐lactide (Mn 23 × 103 Da, PDI 1.31). The PLA‐modified poly‐EGDMA retains a porous structure that is similar to the initial poly‐EGDMA but with improved strength characteristics. The presence of antibiotic containing PLA ensures a high and continuous antibacterial activity of the hybrid polymeric material for 7 days. The nontoxicity of all the porous matrices studied makes them promising for clinical tests as osteoplastic materials. Innovative porous (1–100 µm) osteoplastic materials are obtained by a visible light‐induced polymerization of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in the presence of alcohols. An immersing of poly‐EGDMA in polylactide/antibiotic solution provides for the formation of a pore coating that significantly increases a compressive breaking strength of the porous polymer and ensures its high and continuous antibacterial activity.