Primary challenges associated with the design and success of polymeric biomedical devices are generally related to the control of the biomaterial in terms of degradability characteristics, sufficient processability characteristics, and required mechanical strength that may be altered during sterilization or manufacturing procedures. Polyvinyl alcohol‐based thermoresponsive biomaterials provide a distinct advantage for biomedical applications as their physiochemical properties can be easily modified according to their desired use. In this work, we evaluated the thermal degradation characteristics of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) hydrogel that undergoes a steam sterilization autoclave cycle at 121°C to induce fluid‐like behavior. FTIR was used to characterize the evolution of the area of the carbonyl region between 1800 and 1525 cm⁻¹. The carbonyl area increased at temperatures beyond 121°C which were used to accelerate the onset of degradation during both thermal oxidation and pyrolysis. The change in the carbonyl region was shown to correlate with respect to both temperature and time of exposure. The carbonyl region increased significantly in the presence of oxygen at temperatures above 150°C. Despite showing signs of thermal degradation at temperatures exceeding 150°C, our biomaterial was shown to be stable at 121°C during thermal degradation testing. Furthermore, bulk property analysis showed the hydrogel's mechanical and swelling properties were preserved even after being subject to multiple autoclave cycles beyond what would be experienced during a sterilization or clinical procedure.

Multi-component polymer hydrogels present complex physiochemical interactions that make accurate compositional analysis challenging. This study evaluates three analytical techniques: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to quantify polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) content in hybrid freeze-thaw derived PVA/PEG/PVP hydrogels. Hydrogels were synthesized using an adapted freeze–thaw method across a wide range of PVA:PEG ratios, with PVP included at 1 wt% to assess potential intermolecular effects. NMR and APC reliably quantified polymer content with low average errors of 2.77% and 2.01%, respectively, and were unaffected by phase separation or hydrogen bonding within the composite matrix. TGA enabled accurate quantification at PVA contents ≤ 62.5%, where PEG and PVA maintained distinct thermal decomposition behaviors. At higher PVA concentrations, increased hydrogen bonding and crystalline restructuring, confirmed by FTIR through shifts near 1140 cm⁻¹ and significant changes in the -OH region, altered thermal profiles and reduced TGA accuracy. Together, these findings establish APC as a high-throughput alternative to NMR for multi-component polymer analysis and outline critical thermal and structural thresholds that influence TGA-based quantification. This work provides a framework for characterizing complex polymer networks in biomedical hydrogel systems.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a synthetic polymer that is increasingly being used in biomedical applications due to its excellent biocompatibility, aqueous solubility, low toxicity, and tissue-mimicking properties. The physiochemical properties of PVA hydrogels are widely tunable and allow for a diverse range of tissue-specific applications and delivery methods. In this review, we evaluate the published information on the history of PVA with respect to its safety and efficacy as a biomedical device for orthopedic applications in articular cartilage, fibrocartilage, and intervertebral disc prosthesis. The review includes a classification of the mechanical properties, swelling mechanics, and lubricity and wear properties of the use of PVA in clinical applications, and in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility studies.

Multi-component polymer hydrogels present complex physiochemical interactions that make accurate compositional analysis challenging. This study evaluates three analytical techniques: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to quantify polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) content in hybrid freeze-thaw derived PVA/PEG/PVP hydrogels. Hydrogels were synthesized using an adapted freeze–thaw method across a wide range of PVA:PEG ratios, with PVP included at 1 wt% to assess potential intermolecular effects. NMR and APC reliably quantified polymer content with low average errors of 2.77% and 2.01%, respectively, and were unaffected by phase separation or hydrogen bonding within the composite matrix. TGA enabled accurate quantification at PVA contents ≤62.5%, where PEG and PVA maintained distinct thermal decomposition behaviors. At higher PVA concentrations, increased hydrogen bonding and crystalline restructuring, confirmed by FTIR through shifts near 1140 cm⁻¹ and significant changes in the –OH region, altered thermal profiles and reduced TGA accuracy. Together, these findings establish APC as a high-throughput alternative to NMR for multi-component polymer analysis and outline critical thermal and structural thresholds that influence TGA-based quantification. This work provides a framework for characterizing complex polymer networks in biomedical hydrogel systems.