Modulating Mechanical and Shape-Memory Properties while Mitigating Degradation-Induced Inflammation of Polylactides by Pendant Aspirin Incorporation

Synergistically modulating mechanical properties and improving shape-memory performance while mitigating degradation-induced chronic inflammation of polylactide (PLA)-based implants for biomedical applications remain elusive. We test the hypothesis that copolymerizing aspirin-functionalized glycolide with d,l-lactide could enhance the thermal processing, toughness, and shape-memory efficiency of the copolymer while mitigating local inflammatory responses upon its degradation. The content of pendant aspirin was readily modulated by monomer feeds during ring-opening polymerization, and the copolymers with ∼10% or less aspirin pendants exhibited gigapascal-tensile moduli at body temperature and significantly improved fracture toughness and energy dissipation that positively correlated with the aspirin pendant content. The copolymers also exhibited excellent thermal-healing and shape-memory efficacy, achieving a >97% temporary shape fixing ratio at room temperature and facile shape recovery at 50–65 °C. These drastic improvements were attributed to the dynamic hydrophobic aggregations among aspirin pendants that strengthen glassy-state physical entanglement of PLA while readily dissociating under stress/thermal activation. When subcutaneously implanted, the copolymers mitigated degradation-induced inflammation due to concomitant hydrolytic release of aspirin without suppressing early acute inflammatory responses. The incorporation of aspirin pendants in PLA represents a straightforward and innovative strategy to enhance the toughness, shape-memory performance, and in vivo safety of this important class of thermoplastics for biomedical applications.