Structural Characterization of Porous Photo‐Crosslinked Hybrid Networks Based on Collagen‐Poly(Trimethylene Carbonate)

Abstract Combining natural hydrophilic polymers with synthetic hydrophobic polymers into photo‐crosslinked hybrid networks has the potential to overcome the disadvantages of the individual components. Materials with good bioactivity as well as suitable mechanical properties and control over degradation behavior can also be prepared. Here, we prepared hybrid networks from methacrylated insoluble collagen I (ICol‐MA) and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC‐tMA) and investigated their thermomechanical behaviour and structural characteristics. Hybrid networks with ICol‐MA to PTMC‐tMA ratios of 35:65 and 20:80 were prepared. These networks had high porosities (>74%) and gel contents (>74%). The network density of the networks increased with increasing collagen content as shown by both dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA, an increase from 2 to 16 (mol/g)·10 4 ) and Solid State Time‐Domain Double Quantum (DQ) 1 H NMR experiments (an increase from 181.1 to 201.8 Hz). The tensile modulus increased with increasing collagen content from 1.8 MPa for PTMC to 14.3 MPa for the hybrid network with 35% ICol. DQ 1 H NMR showed the presence of trapped PTMC entanglements and their effect on network density. The composition of these hybrid networks affects the molecular environment and hence the properties of the obtained networks.