• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.278-285
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• 2021

This study produces electroconductive polycaprolactone (PCL)-based film with different amounts of graphene (G) through electrospinning, and the characteristics of the produced G/PCL composites are investigated. The G/PCL results are analyzed by comparing them with those obtained using pure PCL electrospun film as a control. The morphology of electrospun material is analyzed through scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Mechanical and electrical properties are also evaluated. Composites containing 1 % graphene have the highest elongation rate, and 5 % samples have the highest strength and elasticity. Graphene contents > 25 % show electro-conductivity, which level improves with increase of graphene content. Biological characteristics of G/PCL composites are assessed through behavioral analysis of neural cell attachment and proliferation. Cell experiments reveal that compositions < 50 % show slightly reduced cell viability. Moreover, graphene combinations facilitated cell proliferation compared to pure PCL. These results confirm that a 25 % G/PCL composition is best for application to systems that introduce external stimuli such as electric fields and electrodes to lead to synergistic efficiency of tissue regeneration.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.511-518
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• 2017

The membrane emulsification (ME) is a technology for producing emulsions with narrow size distribution by using the well-defined porous membranes such as the SPG membrane. In this study, the preparation of polycaprolactone (PCL) microcapsules by using the multiple emulsions obtained from membrane emulsification method is studied. After the making of $W_1/O$ single emulsions by sonication method, then $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions are formed by premix-ME method. The PCL microcapsules impregnated with BSA model drug are prepared by solvent evaporating from $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions. The effects of various parameters such as the ratio of disperse/continuous phase (D/C ratio), the concentration of PCL, emulsifier and model drug and the transmembrane pressure on the size and distribution of PCL microcapsules are investigated. The uniform PCL microcapsules with about $5{\sim}6{\mu}m$ of mean size and 26% of BSA loading are obtained by the premix membrane emulsification.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2000

Polycaprolactone (PCL) was blended with corn starch to produce biodegradable compost films and the biodegradability and mechanical properties were investigated. As the compatibilizer for the immiscible PCL/starch blend, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA)-PCL macromer was grafted onto starch by initially grafting HEMA to starch and then grafting of PCL onto HEMA via ring opening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone. When biodegradability of the PCL grafted starch-g-DEMA copolymers was compared with that of starch by the modified Sturm test, graft copolymers degraded at much slower rates due to the presence of the non-degradable HEMA. With the addition of the graft copolymer up to 5 wt% to the blend, the elongation-at-break of the starch/PCL blend increased substantially, while the tensile strength and modulus did not change much. SEM observation of the blend containing 2 wt% copolymer clearly indicated that the interfacial adhesion between the starch and PCL was strengthened by the copolymer.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

In this study, waterborne polyurethanes were synthesized with poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG), polycarprolactone PCL), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) and different molar ratio of chain extender. Particle size, polydispersity, thermal and mechanical properties of waterborne polyurethane were investigated. The particle size of waterborne polyurethane was in the range of 5∼200 nm and decreased with increasing the amounts of PCL and chain extender. Glass transition temperatures ($T_g$) were in the range of -70∼-45 ${\circ}C$ and increased with as PCL and chian extender (ED) contents increased. The $T_g$ of polyurethane prepared from the mixture showed similar trends as compared with those of in the same values of synthetic polyurethane using PTMG or PCL, respectively. Also, mechanical properties of mixed polyols (PTMG and PCL) were lower than those of PTMG and PCL, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 1997

We examined the dependence of the growth of undoped InP epilayer by chloride vapor phase epitaxy on the growth temperature and on the $PCl_3$molar fraction. The growth temperature was varied from $620^{\circ}C$ to $650^{\circ}C$ and the $PCl_3$molar franction from $2.5{\times}10^{-2}$ to $4.5{\times}10^{-2}$. The undoped InP epilayer with hillock free surface was obtained at the growth temperature of $640^{\circ}C$ and at the PCl$_3$molar fraction of $3.0{\times}10^{-2}$. The surface morphology was improved with a decrease of the PCl$_3$molar fraction. The carrier concentration measured by Hall and ECV was less than $1{\times}10^{14}cm^{-3}$. The resistivity of the undoped InP epilayer, measured by using four probe method, showed a high value of <$3.0{\times}10^6{\Omega}\textrm{cm}$.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.218-232
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• 2023

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy of a tube-shaped poly(ε) caprolactone - β tricalcium phosphate (PCL-TCP) scaffold with the incorporation of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for bone regeneration in the procedure of single-stage sinus augmentation and dental implantation in minipigs. Methods: Implants were placed in the bilateral sides of the maxillary sinuses of 5 minipigs and allocated to a PCL-TCP+hUCMSCs+PRP group (n=5), a PCL-TCP+PRP group (n=5), and a PCL-TCP-only group (n=6). After 12 weeks, bone regeneration was evaluated with soft X-rays, micro-computed tomography, fluorescence microscopy, and histomorphometric analysis. Results: Four implants failed (2 each in the PCL-TCP+hUCMSCs+PRP and PCLTCP+hUCMSC groups). An analysis of the grayscale levels and bone-implant contact ratio showed significantly higher mean values in the PCL-TCP+hUCMSCs+PRP than in the PCL-TCP group (P=0.045 and P=0.016, respectively). In fluoromicroscopic images, new bone formation around the outer surfaces of the scaffolds was observed in the PCLTCP+hUCMSCs+PRP group, suggesting a tenting effect of the specially designed scaffolds. Bone regeneration at the scaffold-implant interfaces was observed in all 3 groups. Conclusions: Using a tube-shaped, honeycombed PCL-TCP scaffold with hUCMSCs and PRP may serve to enhance bone formation and dental implants' osseointegration in the procedure of simultaneous sinus lifting and dental implantation.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2011

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.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.664-672
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• 2000

It is generally agreed that transesterification provides the, copolymer in the melt blending of poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN) and poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL). Effects of the conditions of transesterification reaction and catalyst on the degree of randomness and average sequence length of PEN/PCL blends were investigated and results were used to interpret the biodegradability of PEN/PCL blends. It was found that degree of randomness values of obtained copolymer lied between 0 and 1, and it indicated that this blend consisted with physical blends of PEN/PCL and PEN/PCL block copolymers. The degree of randomness reached almost 1 which is the theoretical value of random copolymers and the average sequence length became shorter by the further transesterification reaction. In additions, it was found that the increase of copolymers, especially random copolymers reduced the biodegradability in PEN/PCL blends.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.32-38
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• 2006

A series of organic-inorganic hybrids, PCL/EP/$SiO_2$, involving epoxy resin and triethoxysilane-terminated polycaprolactone elastomer (PCL-TESi) were prepared via polymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with amine curing agent KB-2 and sol-gel process of PCL-TESi. The curing reactions were started from the initially homogeneous mixture of DGEBA, KB-2 and the PCL-TESi. The organicinorganic hybrids containing up to 4.95% (wt) of $SiO_2$ were obtained and characterized by FT-IR, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). It was experimentally shown that the swelling property in toluene, morphologies and thermal properties of the resulting hybrids were quite dependent on the contents of $SiO_2$. The crosslink network density decreases with increasing of the PCL-TESi. And in TEM, the phase separated morphology of these hybrids was found, which resulted from the coagulation of Si-O-Si networks resulting from $-Si(OC_2H_5)_3$ of PCL-TESi self-curing by hydrolytic silanol condensation, with the advancement of the curing reaction in the modified epoxy resin systems. Meanwhile, the change of the $SiO_2$ content made the morphologies changed from aggregated particles of Si-O-Si in the hybrid to nanocluster of interconnected Si-O-Si particles, then to aggregated Si-O-Si dispersing in the continuous cured epoxy phase again, and last to co-continuous interpenetrating network. The glass transition behavior of the hybrid material was cooperative motion of large chain segments, which were hindered by the inorganic Si-O-Si network. And in TG analysis, the characteristic temperature at 5% of weight loss was evidently increased from $120.5^{\circ}C$ of pure cured epoxy to $277.6^{\circ}C$ of 3.84% (wt) of $SiO_2$ modified epoxy due to the existence of Si-O-Si when PCL-TESi was added in the hybrid.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2007

Uniform microcapsules containing ionic model drugs were prepared by controlling various conditions of emulsification procedure using a lab-scale membrane emulsification system with a SPG (Shirasu porous glass) tubular membrane. We observed the effects of various emulsification parameters [concentration and molecular weight of polycaprolatone (PCL) polymer, transmembrane pressure and emulsifier concentration in disperse phase and continuous phase, stirring speed] on the mean size and size ditribution of microcapsules containing lidocaine hydrochloride (cationic drug), sodium salicylate (nonionic drug) and 4-acetaminophen (anionic drug) used as a model drugs. Also, release characteristics of a model drugs from PCL microcapsules were investigated. Controlling membrane emulsification parameters, uniform PCL microcapsules with about $5\;{\mu}m$ of the mean size were finally prepared. The release rate and the burst effect of microcapsules were decreased in condition of the acidic solution, but it was increased in condition of the base solution.