• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.17-29
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• 2002

Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms of the bioabsorbable composites for implant materials were investigated using micromechanical technique and measurement of surface wettability. As hydrolysis time increased, the tensile strength, the modulus and the elongation of poly(ester-amide) (PEA) and bioactive glass fibers decreased, whereas those of chitosan fiber almost did not change. Interfacial shear strength (IFSS) between bioactive glass fiber and poly-L-lactide (PLLA) was much higher than PEA or chitosan fiber/PLLA systems using dual matrix composite (DMC) specimen. The decreasing rate of IFSS was the fastest in bioactive glass fiber/PLLA composites whereas that of chitosan fiber/PLLA composites was the slowest. Work of adhesion, $W_a$ between bioactive glass fiber and PLLA was the highest, and the wettability results were consistent with the IFSS. Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms can be important factors to control bioabsorbable composite performance.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.884-892
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• 2001

Biodegradable wafers were prepared with poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) (50 : 50 mole ratio of lactide to glycolide, molecular weight:5000 g/mole) by direct compression method for the sustained release of nifedipine to investigate the possibility of the treatment of hypertension. PLGA wafers were prepared by altering initial drug/polymer loading ratio, wafer thickness, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) content. These wafers showed new zero-order release patterns for 11 days, and various biphasic release patterns could be obtained by altering the composition of wafers such as addition of matrix binder as HPMC to the PLGA wafer to reduce release rate of initial phase. The onset of polymer mass loss only occured after 4 days and about 40% of mass loss was observed after 11 days nifedipine release. This system had advantages in terms of simplicity in design and obviousness of drug release rate and may be useful as an implantable dosage form.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.869-876
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• 2000

In order to improve the cell-compatability of poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (75 : 25 by mole ratio of lactide to glycolide, PLGA) surfaces, the physicochemical treatments have been demonstrated. Chemical treatments were 70% perchloric acid. 50% sulfuric acid and 0.5 N sodium hydroxide solution and physical methods were corona and plasma treatment. The water contact angle of surface treated PLGA decreased from 73$^{\circ}$ to 50~60$^{\circ}$, i.e., increased hydrophilicity, due to the introduction of oxygen-containing functional group onto PLGA backbone by the measurement of an electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. It could be observed that the adhesion and growth of fibroblast cell on physicochemically treated PLGA surfaces, especially perchloric acid treated PLGA surface, were more active than on the controt. In conclusion, it seems that surface wettability as hydrophilicity of PLGA plays an important role in cell adhesion, spreading and growth.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.481-489
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• 1996

D,L-lactide (2-LA) was copolymerized with ${\beta}$-methyl-${\delta}$-valerolactone (MVL) using tetraphenyltin as a catalyst and the properties of the copolymers were investigated. The composition of the repeating unit of lactic acid in the copolymers was higher than that in the monomer feeds. The composition of the lactic acid unit in the copolymers decreased with increasing copolymerization time. The yield and the molecular weight of the copolymer increased with increasing 2-LA in the feed composition. These results suggest that the reactivity of 2-LA is larger than that of MVL. The number average molecular weight was in the range of 54,000 to 63,000 and the polydispersity index was in the range of 1.7 to 2.1. The copolymers did not show melting point, but glass transition temperature. The degradable tendency of the copolymers with lipase was almost equal to that of L-lactide-MVL copolymer.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.535-542
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• 2002

We have prepared the surfactant-free nanoparticles of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) by dialysis method and their physicochemical properties such as particle size and drug contents were investigated against various solvent. The size of PLGA nanoparticles prepared by using dimethylacetamide (DMAc), dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was smaller than that from acetone. Also, the order of drug contents was DMAc>DMF>DMSO=acetone. These phenomena could be expected from the fact that solvent affects the size of nanoparticles and drug contents. The PLGA nanoparticles have a good spherical shapes as observed from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also, surfactant-free nanoparticles entrapping norfloxacin (NFx) have a good drug loading capacity without free-drug on the surface of nanoparticles confirmed by the analysis of X-ray powder diffraction. Release kinetics of NFx used as a model drug was governed not only by drug contents but also by particle size. Also, the biodegradation rate of PLGA nanoparticles prepared from DMF was faster than that prepared from acetone, indicating that the biodegradation of PLGA nanoparticles is size-dependent.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.593-598
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• 2012

Solution polymerization behaviors of L-lactide using single and mixed aluminium catalyst systems were studied. Triisobutylaluminium (TIBA) was a reference catalyst for mixing. For the $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$/TIBA catalytic systems, the molecular weight of the resulting polylactide (PLA) decreased as the composition of $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$ increased. The higher molecular weight shoulder was revealed in their GPC curve. At TIBA of 80 mol% a bimodal GPC curve was shown. The conversion in the trimethylaluminium (TMA)/TIBA catalysts system decreased as the composition of TMA in the mixed catalyst increased. The conversion in the trioctylaluminium (TOA)/TIBA catalysts system decreased as the composition of TOA in the mixed catalyst increased. The unimodal molecular weight distribution was observed with the TOA/TIBA catalyst systems. The Al compounds-mixed catalyst could produce a higher molecular weight shoulder in the GPC curve.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.284-288
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• 2011

For the purpose of the pre-industry production of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and full understanding of the supercritical polymerization system, large scale polymerization of L-iactide initiated by 1-dodecano/stannous 2-ethyl-hexanoate (DoOH/Sn(Oct)$_2$) was carried out in supercritical chlorodifluoromethane under various reaction conditions (time, temperature and pressure)and reactants (monomer and supercritical solvent) concentrations. A 3 L sized-reactor system was used throughout this study. The monomer conversion increased to 72% on increasing reaction time to 5 h. The molecular weight of PLLA product also increased to 68000 g/moi over the same period. An increase in monomer concentration resulted in a higher molecular weight, up to 144000 g/mol and 97% of monomer conversion. Raising the reaction pressure from 130 to 240 bar also resulted in an increased monomer conversion and molecular weight. To increase heat resistivity of PLLA, methanol treatment and heat-vacuum methods were evaluated. Both of them successfully improved the heat resistivity property of PLLA.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2003

Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms of the oxygen-plasma treated biodegradable poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO) fiber/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)composites were investigated for the orthopedic applications as implant materials using micromechanical technique and surface wettability measurement. PPDO fiber reinforced PLLA composite can provide good mechanical performance for long hydrolysis time. The degree of degradation for PPDO fiber and PLLA matrix was measured by thermal analysis and optical observation. IFSS and work of adhesion, $W_a$ between PPDO fiber and PLLA matrix showed the maximum at the plasma treatment time, at 60 seconds. Work of adhesion was lineally proportional to the IFSS. PPDO fiber showed ductile microfailure modes at We initial state, whereas brittle microfailure modes appeared with elapsing hydrolysis time. Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms can be important factors to control bioabsorbable composites performance because IFSS changes with hydrolytic degradation.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2011

In this study, gemcitabine-loaded methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lactide) (MPEG-PLLA) microparticles with different PEG block lengths were prepared by a W/O/W double emulsion technique. The present study focuses on the investigation of the influence of various preparative parameters such as the ratio of internal water phase and oil phase, polymer concentration, solvent composition of organic phase and salt concentration of external water phase on the morphology and encapsulation efficiency of the microparticles. The microparticles fabricated at high volume ratios of internal water phase to oil phase and at high polymer concentrations showed a relatively high encapsulation efficiency and low porosity. When a dichloromethane/ethyl acetate mixture was used as solvent, both the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading of the microparticles decreased as the level of ethyl acetate increased. The addition of a salt (NaCl) to the external water phase significantly improved the encapsulation efficiency up to 40%, and the microparticles became more spherical with their size and porosity decreased.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.300-306
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• 2002

To study the effect of polymer compositions on the cell adhesion, copolymers of 3-(S)-[(dodecyloxycarbonyl) methyl]-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (DMD) and L-lactide were made, where DMD was synthesized form L-malic acid (L-MA) and glycolic acid. Furthermore, the copolymerization of DMD and L-lactide was performed using tin(II) octanoate as a catalyst. As a result of fixing RGD on the copolymer films, the cell adhesive peptide was fixable on the surface of the film. It was found out that the amount of fixation of RGD also increases by the increase in the amount of MA unit introduction. Since it is gradually decomposed over a long period and neither remains nor accumulation occurs, glycolic acid-$\beta$-dodecylmalate -lactic acid (D-PGML) is greatly expected as a potential biomaterial with improved slow degradability.