Electron Beam-induced Crosslinking and Characterization of Polycaprolactone Films in the Presence of Various Crosslinking Agents

Electron beam-induced crosslinking of polycaprolactone (PCL) films containing various crosslinking agents (CAs) was investigated in this study. PCL films containing various CAs prepared by a solution casting method were irradiated by electron beams at various absorption doses and the irradiated PCL films were investigated in terms of their crosslinking degree, thermal and mechanical properties, and biodegradability. Based on the results of the crosslinking degree measurement, triallyl isocyanurate was found to be most effective for the electron-beam induced crosslinking of PCL films. The results of the UTM, DMA, and TMA revealed that the thermal and mechanical properties of the crosslinked PCL films were greatly improved in comparison to those of the pure PCL. The results of the enzymatic degradation test revealed that the biodegradability of the crosslinked PCL films was reduced in comparison to that of the pure PCL.