Abstract

Structural design for artincial organs and tissue engineering: Microporing of elastic mms by excimer laser ablation and evaluation of them echanical properties. Two series of microporous segmented polyurethane films (thickness: 30μm) were prepared using excimer laser microprocessing: one series of films was designed so that the pore diameter was fixed (100μm) but the relative pore area varied (3.1 to 34.9%), and the other series so that the relative area of the pores was flxed (3.1%) but pore size was varied (9 to 100μm). Upon extension of the films, linear stress-strain relationships were observed for nonporous and microporous films up to about 30% of deformation. Young's modulus decreased with increases in the relative pore area, but was almost the same between variations in the pore size. Control of the micropore design (pore size and number) allowed for control of the mechanical properties of an elastomeric film that may be useful as a scafrold substrate for hybrid artificial organs, and for tissue engineering.