• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.947-954
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• 1992

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) grafted poly (γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBLG) was synthesized by the substitution reaction of PBLG and PEG having primary amino groups at both ends. PEG-g-PBLG films containing hydroxyl group were also prepared by the substitution reaction of PEG-g-PBLG film and ethanolamine (EA). Adhesion of platelets and activation of plasma proteins on the copolypeptide films were studied. The results showed that platelets are less adhered and activated on the PEG-g-PBLG than on other polypeptides and plasma recalcification time (PRT) on the PEG-g-PBLG was longer than that on other polypeptides. These results were consistent with those of blood clotting time and thrombus formation on the polypeptides. As a results, PEG-g-PBLG surfaces showed better blood compatibility than PBLG or PEG-g-PBLG-EA surfaces.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.533-538
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• 2013

Sodium chloride is present in our body fluids, and the blood contains approximately 0.9 wt% salt, which plays an important role in maintaining the osmotic pressure. However, the amount of salt intake has consistently increased, and an excessive intake can be the cause of high blood pressure, etc. In this study, it was investigated in vivo and in vitro whether biocompatible ionic polymers with K or Ca ions can be replaced by Na ions through an ion exchange process to be excreted. Among the polymers, Ca-polystyrene sulfonate, K-polystyrene sulfonate, Ca-carrageenan, and Ca-tamarind had an excellent Na exchange ability in the body temperature, simulated gastric fluid and also simulated intestinal fluid. The mechanism of Na removal by absorption and excretion without changing food taste in the mouth through the insolubility properties of these polymers is expected to be a solution for the current problems related with excess sodium intake.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.508-514
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• 2022

Piezoelectric composite films which are enabled by inorganic piezoelectric nanomaterials-embedded polymer, have attracted enormous attention as a sustainable power source for low powered electronics, because of their ease of fabrication and flexible nature. However, the absorption of applied stress by the soft polymeric matrices is a major issue that must be solved to expand the fields of piezoelectric composite applications. Herein, a flexible and porous piezoelectric composite (piezoelectric sponge) comprised of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane was developed using template method to enhance the energy conversion efficiency by minimizing the stress that vanishes into the polymer matrix. In the porous structure, effective stress transfer can occur between the piezoelectric active materials in compression mode due to direct contact between the ceramic particles embedded in the pore-polymer interface. The piezoelectric sponge with 30 wt% of BaTiO₃ particles generated an open-circuit voltage of ~12 V and a short-circuit current of ~150 nA. A finite element method-based simulation was conducted to theoretically back up that the piezoelectric output performance was effectively improved by introducing the sponge structure. Furthermore, to demonstrate the feasibility of pressure detecting applications using the BaTiO₃ particles-embedded piezoelectric sponge, the composite was arranged in a 3 × 3 array and integrated into a single pressure sensor. The fabricated sensor array successfully detected the shape of the applied pressure. This work can provide a cost-effective, biocompatible, and structural strategy for realizing piezoelectric composite-based energy harvesters and self-powered sensors with improved energy conversion efficiency.

• Composites Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.18-23
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• 2008

The Rapid Prototyping (RP) technology has advanced in many application areas. In this research, implantable Drug Delivery System (DDS) was fabricated by an RP system, Nano Composite Deposition System (NCDS). The DDS composite consists of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), as drug particles, and PLGA85/15 as biodegradable polymer matrix. To have larger surface area, the DDS was fabricated in a scaffold shape, and its degradation was tested in vitro environment. Biocompatible Hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were added to the drug-polymer composite in order to control drug release. Test results showed a possibility of controlled release of scaffold DDS over 50 days.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.815-819
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• 2014

Scaffolds of tissue engineering should be biocompatible and biodegradable for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. In the various scaffold fabrication, 3D printing technique can make the three dimensional scaffold with interconnected pores for cell ingrowth. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is biodegradable polyester with a low melting temperature and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this study, PCL scaffold was fabricated by 3D bioprinting system and surface modification of PCL scaffold was controlled by NaOH treatment. Morphological change and wetability of NaOH-treated scaffold were observed by SEM and contact angle measurement system. The remnant of PCL treated with NaOH was measured by ATR-FTIR. In vitro study of scaffolds was evaluated with WST-1 and ALP activity assay. NaOH treatment of PCL scaffolds increased surface roughness, hydrophilicity, cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. These results indicate that NaOH-treated PCL scaffold made by 3D bioprinting has tissue engineered potential for the development of biocompatible material.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.512-518
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• 2006

A biodegradable polymer poly((R) -3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) was conjugated with a hydrophilic polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by the ttansesterification reaction to form the amphiphilic block copolymer. PHB with low molecular weight ($3000{\sim}30000$) was appropriated for the drug delivery materials. High molecular weight PHB was hydrolyzed by an acid-catalyst to produce the low molecular weight one. Amphiphilic block copolymer was formed the self-assembled polymeric micelle system in the aqueous solution that the hydrophillic PEG was wraped the hydrophobic PHB. Generally, polymeric micelle forms the small particle between $10{\sim}200nm$. These polymeric micelle systems have been widely used for the drug delivery systems because they were biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic and patient compliant. The hydroxyl group of PEG was substituted with carboxyl group which has the reactivity to the ester group of PHB. Amphiphilic block copolymer was conjugated between PHB, and modified PEG at $176^{\circ}C$ which was higher than the melting point of PHB. Transesterification reaction was verified with DSC, FTIR, $^1H-NMR$. In the aqueous solution, critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the mPEG-co-PHB copolymer measured by the fluororescence scanning spectrometer was $5{\times}10^{-5}g/L$. The shape and size of the nanoparticle was taken by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. The size of the nanoparticle was about 130 nm and the shape was spherical. Our polymeric micelle system can be used as the passive targeting drug delivery system.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.253-260
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• 2010

In this study, we prepared and evaluated a series of biocompatible and biodegradable block copolymer hydrogels with a delayed swelling property for tissue expander application. The hydrogels were synthesized via a radical crosslinking reaction of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) diacrylate and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA-PEG-PLGA) triblock copolymer diacrylate as a swelling/degradation controller (SDC). For the synthesis of various SDCs that can lead to different degradation and swelling properties, various PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers with different LA/GA ratios and different PLGA block lengths were synthesized and modified to have terminal acrylate groups. The resultant hydrogels were flexible and elastic even in the dry state. The in vitro degradation tests showed that the delayed swelling properties of the hydrogels could be modulated by varying the chemical composition of the biodegradable crosslinker (SDC) and the block ratio of SDC/PEG. The histopathologic observation after implantation of hydrogels in mice was performed and evaluated by macrography and microscopy. Any significant inflammation or necrosis was not observed in the implanted tissues. Due to their biocompatibility, elasticity, sufficient swelling pressure, delayed swelling and controllable degradability, the hydrogels could be useful for tissue expansion and other biomedical applications.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.599-604
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• 2005

The hyaluronic acid (HA) with excellent biocompatibility has been combined with lactide, the ester dimer of polylactide, with good biodegradability to produce biocompatible materials which can control the period of degradation in a human body. By freeze frying method, HA and lactide were crosslinked with crosslinking agent, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). Degree of lactide and EDC reaction was determined by the analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both lactyl group and EDC conversion increased as the mole ratio of lactide to HA increased from 5 to 13. The membrane swelled less and became more brittle with the more addition of lactyl group resulting from the higher mole ratio of lactide to HA. Swelling ratio decreased and tensile modulus increased due to the more addition of lactyl group as the EDC concentration increased or reaction temperature decreased. Drug release experiment from various membranes with different degree of crosslinking showed that permeability decreased with increasing degree of crosslinking. The degradation became slower with the more addition of lactyl group. Mechanical property and degradation rate of the synthesized membrane were shown to be controlled through adjusting operation parameters such as mole ratio, temperature, and crosslinking agent concentration.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1229-1235
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• 2015

Scaffold fabrication technology using a 3D printer was developed for damaged bone tissue regeneration. A scaffold for bone tissue regeneration application should be biocompatible, biodegradable, and have an adequate mechanical strength. Moreover, the scaffold should have pores of satisfactory quantity and interconnection. In this study, we used the polymer deposition system (PDS) based on fused deposition modeling (FDM) to fabricate a 3D scaffold. The materials used were polycaprolactone (PCL) and alginic acid sodium salt (sodium alginate, SA). The salt-leaching method was used to fabricate dual pores on the 3D scaffold. The 3D scaffold with dual pores was observed using SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopy) and evaluated through in-vitro tests using MG63 cells.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2010

Recently, an electrospinning process, which is one of various nanotechnologies, has been used in fabricating micro/nanosized fibers. The fabricated electrospun micro/nanofibers has been widely applied in biomedical applications, specially in tissue regeneration. In this study, we fabricated highly aligned electrospun biodegradable and biocompatible poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone)(PCL) micro/nanofibers by using a modified electrospinning process supplemented with a complex electric field. From this process, we can attain highly aligned electrospun nanofibers compared to that fabricated with the normal electrospinning process. To observe the feasibility of the highly aligned electrospun mat as a biomedical scaffold, nerve cells(PC-12) was cultured and it was found that the cells those were well oriented to the direction of aligned fibers.