Biomaterials Tutorial

Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) 

Felix Simonovsky
University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials

Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), or silicones, are a class of synthetic polymers with repeating units of silicon and oxygen.  Various functional groups, often methyl, can be attached to that backbone.  Silicone polymers can be easily transformed into linear or cross-linking materials without the use of any toxic plasticizers.  The resulting materials are elastic at body temperature.

The simultaneous presence of different groups attached to the silicon-oxygen backbone gives silicones a range of viscous and mechanical properties, which allow their use as fluids, emulsions, compounds, resins, and elastomers in numerous applications. Thus, silicone is a versatile polymer, although its use is often limited by its relatively poor mechanical strength. However, this limitation can be reduced by reinforcing with a silica filler, or by chemical modification of the backbone.

The stability, lack of toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility of PDMS makes these materials well suited for use in personal care, pharmaceutical, and medical device applications.  Below is a list of some common properties and uses of silicones.

References:

Ratner BD, Hoffman AS, Schoen FJ, Lemons JE, Editors. Biomaterials Science: An introduction to materials in medicine, 2nd ed.  London: Elsevier Academic Press; 2004.

van Dyke ME, Clarson SJ, Arshady R. Silicone biomaterials, PBM Series. Introduction to polymeric biomaterials 2003:(1);109-135.