• 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.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2013

In tissue engineering application, a fibrous structure of scaffolds has been issued as an alternative system to regulate cell survival and tissue regeneration, and electrospinning technique has been popularly used to generate fibrous meshes or sheets mimicking the structure of native extracellular matrix (ECM). However, recent strategy in the scaffold development is expanded to provide the structural property as well as a biological property of native ECM, a variety of surface modification techniques have been used to introduce biological property. In this study, we developed biomimetic poly(L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PLCL) nano- and micro-fibrous scaffolds as a unique platform with structural and biological properties with native ECM using electrospinning method and gamma-ray irradiation. Surface morphology of the scaffolds was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and alteration of surface property was evaluated with toluidine blue O staining, water contact angle measurement and ATR-FTIR analysis.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2006

A series of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) $(MPEG)-poly(\varepsilon-co-L-lactide)$ (PCLA) diblock copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of a mixture of $\varepsilon-caprolactone$ and L-lactide with different ratios in the presence of $Sn(Oct)_2$. The characterization of MPEG-PCLA diblock copolymers were examined by $^1H-NMR$, GPC, DSC, and XRD. Kinetic study on ring-opening polymerization of monomer mixtures was carried out in various conditions such as a variation with polymerization time, amount of catalyst, and temperature. The highest conversion obtained in 1.2 ratic of initiator venn catalyst at $110\;^{\circ}C$. The biodegradable characterization of MPEG-PCLA diblock copolymers in aqueous solution was carried out by using GPC for $1\~14$ weeks. The biodegradability of MPEG-PCLA diblock copolymers increased as the L-lactide content of diblock copolymers increased. In conclusion, we confirmed the dependence of polymerization rate according to various conditions. In addition, we can control the biodegradability of MPEC-PCLA diblock copolymers by changing the ratio of PCL and PLA block segment.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.262-262
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• 2006

Biodegradable and amphiphilic di-block and tri-block copolymers, prepared with monomethoxy poly ethylene glycol (MPEG) and ${\varepsilon}-caprolactone\;({\varepsilon}-CL)$, were used for the application of W1/O/W2 multi- emulsion capsules. The effects of topology and the ratio of hydrophilic moiety of PCL-based polymers on the encapsulation efficiency of the $W_{1}/O/W_{2}$ multi-emulsion capsules containing Ascorbic Acid-2-Glucoside (AA-2-G) were investigated. The ratio of PEG and PCL was 1:0.5, 1:0.75, 1:1, and 1:1.25. PEG-PCL block copolymers were added to the first step of the preparation of $W_{1}/O$ emulsions. The dispersion stability, the particle size, the morphology of the $W_{1}/O/W_{2}$ multi-emulsion capsules were observed using an on-line turbidity meter, dynamic light scattering (DLS), a confocal microscopy (with FITC) and an optical microscopy. Biodegradable behavior of the PEG-PCL block copolymers and release behavior of AA-2-G were also observed by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.42.1-42.1
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• 2009

In recent years, it has been tried to develop the efficacy and bioactivity of Calcium Phosphate cements(CPC) as injectable bone substitute (IBS) by reinforcing them through varying the amount in its compositions and relative concentrations or adding other additives. In this study, the biocompatibility of are inforced Calcium Phosphate-Calcium Sulfate injectable bone substitute (IBS)containing poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone)PCL microspheres was evaluated which consisted of solution chitosan and Na-citrate as liquid phase and tetra calcium phosphate (TTCP), dicalciumphosphate anhydrous (DCPA) powder as the solid phase. The in vitrobiocompatibility of the IBS was done using MTT assay and Cellular adhesion and spreading studies. The in vitro experiments with simulated body fluid (SBF) confirmed the formation of apatite on sample surface after 7 and 14 days of incubation in SBF. SEM images for one cell morphologies showed that the cellular attachment was good. MG-63 cells were found to maintain their phenotype on samples and SEM micrograph confirmed that cellular attachment was well. In vitro cytotoxicity tests by an extract dilution method showed that the IBS was cytocompatible for fibroblast L-929.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2005

PCL were intercalated into organically modified MMT (PCL-MMT) at $80^{\circ}C$ for 4hrs to prepare the PCL-MMT nanocomposite. PCL-MMT and PCL were mixed mechanically with two-roll mill at $150^{\circ}C$ for 15mins. From the results of XRD and TEM, it were found that PCL-MMT nanocomposite were prepared. And mechanical properties and biodegradation of nanocomposite have been investigated by tensile meter and biodegradability analysis experiment. Because of MMT dispersed homogeneously in PCL matrix, the Young's modulus of the nanocomposite was found to be excellent. But the tensile strength and elongation were decreased as increase of MMT. And MMT dispersed in PCL matrix was almost not affected on the biodegradation of PCL.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.49-52
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• 2002

합성 고분자의 생분해는 환경 보존이라는 측면에서 중요시 되고 있으며 봉합사나 bone fixation, 그리고 implant와 같은 의학적 응용면에서도 상당한 관심의 대상이 되어오고 있다 glycolic acid, L-lactic acid, $\varepsilon$-caprolactone에 근거하는 지방족 폴리에스터는 생분해성 봉합사로서 응용되고 있으나 여전히 열적, 기계적 가공특성과 같은 적정특성들이 부족하다.$^1$ 한편 폴리아마이드는 유사한 구조를 갖는 폴리에스터와 비교할 때에 상대적으로 높은 유리전이온도와 높은 융점을 가지고 있는 반면 높은 흡습성으로 인한 물성저하가 야기될 수 있다. (중략)

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.255-255
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• 2006

Polymeric nanoparticles are recognized as promising drug carriers [1]. Here, novel tri-block copolymers based on poly PPDO, PCL and PEG were synthesized and employed for the formulation of reproducible polymeric nanoparticles [2]. To estimate the feasibility of the polymer to form polymeric nanoparticles, nanoparticles were prepared by co-solvent evaporation technique. Polymerization and structural features of the polymer were analyzed by different physico-chemical techniques. Existence of hydrophobic domains as a core of nanoparticles was characterized by $^{1}H-NMR$ spectroscopy, and further confirmed by fluorescence technique using pyrene as probe.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2006

We conducted simultaneous, small-angle, X-ray scattering/differential scanning calorimetry (SAXS/DSC) and simultaneous, wide-angle, X-ray scattering (WAXS)/DSC measurements for a polymer blend of poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene glycol)(PCL/PEG). The time-dependent SAXS/DSC and WAXS/DSC results, measured while the system was quenched below the melting temperature of PCL from a melting state, revealed the competitive behavior between liquid-liquid phase separation and crystallization in the polymer blend. The time-dependent structural evolution extracted from the SAXS/WAXS/DSC results can be characterized by the following four stages in the PCL crystallization process: the induction (I), nucleation (II), growth (III), and late (IV) stages. The influence of the liquid-liquid phase separation on the crystallization of PCL was also observed by phase-contrast microscope and polarized microscope with 1/4$\lambda$ compensator.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.211-217
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• 2004

The sol to gel transition of aqueous solution of block copolymers consisting of methoxy poly (ethylene glycol) (MPEG) and biodegradable polyesters such as $\varepsilon$-caprolactone and L-lactide was investigated as a function of temperature. MPEG-PCL was prepared by ring opening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone in the presence of HClㆍEt$_2$O as monomer activator at room temperature. Also, MPEG-PLLA was prepared by ring opening polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of stannous octoate at 115$^{\circ}C$. The properties of block copolymers were investigated by $^1$H-NMR, IR, and GPC as well as the observation of thermo sensitive phase transition in aqueous solution. As the hydrophobic block length increased, the sol to gel transition temperature increased and curve of that steepen to lower concentration. To confirm the gel formation at body temperature, we observed the formation of gel in the mice body after injection of 20 wt% aqueous solution of each block copolymer. After surging, we investigated the gelation in mice. The results obtained in this study confirmed the feasibility as biomaterials of injectable implantation for controlled release of drug and protein delivery.