Synthesis and Characterization of Polymeric Soybean Oil-g-Methyl Methacrylate (and n-Butyl Methacrylate) Graft Copolymers:  Biocompatibility and Bacterial Adhesion

Peroxidation, epoxidation, and/or perepoxidation reactions of soybean oil under air at room temperature resulted in cross-linked polymeric soybean oil peroxides on the surface along with the waxy soluble part, sPSB, with a molecular weight of 4690, containing up to 2.3 wt % peroxide. This soluble polymeric oil peroxide, sPSB, initiated the free radical polymerization of either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA) to give PSB-g-PMMA and PSB-g-PnBMA graft copolymers. The polymers obtained were characterized by 1H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and gel permeation chromatography techniques. Polymeric oil as a plasticizer lowered the glass transition of the PSB-g-PMMA graft copolymers. PSB-g-PMMA and PSB-g-PnBMA graft copolymer film samples were also used in cell culture studies. Fibroblast and macrophage cells were strongly adhered and spread on the copolymer film surfaces, which is important in tissue engineering. Bacterial adhesion on PSB-g-PMMA graft copolymer was also studied. Both Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli adhered on the graft copolymer better than on homo-PMMA. Furthermore, the latter adhered much better than the former.