• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.379-380
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• 2002

Biodegradable polymers have been regarded as a good alternative to solve the plastic waste problems caused by nondegradable synthetic polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene. In the soil environment, plastics are mainly being used as a mulching film for agricultural purposes. In this research, the miscibility, tensile properties and biodegradation effect of poly-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone(PCL) with polyvinyl chloride(PVC) have been studied. After 8 weeks of biodegradation, PCL/PVC(9/91) blend surface showed newly formed many holes. Consequently, the antiplasticization phenomenon and biodegradation were observed in the PCL/PVC blends. It was confirmed that a test for general biodegradation condition can be applied to plastic biodegradation in soil.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.440-443
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• 2001

Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites have recently received considerable attention from both academia and industry as an effective way to overcome the shortcomings of conventional polymer. When the silicate layers are exfoliated and randomly distributed in polymer matrix, the nanocomposites exhibit improved mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. (omitted)

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2015

This study was designed in the fabricated poly (L-Lactic-co-${\varepsilon}$-Caprolactone) (PLCL) scaffold using chitosan-alginate hydrogel, which would be more suitable to maintain the biological and physiological functions continuing three dimensional spatial organizations for chondrocytes. As a scaffold, hydrogels alone is weak at endure complex loading within the body. In this study, we made cell hybrid scaffold constructs with poly (L-Lactic-co-${\varepsilon}$-Caprolactone) (PLCL) scaffold and hydrogels to make a three-dimensional composition of cells and extracellular matrix, which would be a mimic of a native cartilage. Using a particle leaching technique with NaCl, we fabricated a highly-elastic scaffold from PLCL with 85% porosity and $300-500{\mu}m$ pore size. A mixture of bovine chondrocytes and chitosan-alginate gel was seeded and compared with alginate as a control on the PLCL scaffold. The cell maturation, proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) production and collagen type-II expressions were better in chondrocytes seeded in chitosan-alginate hydrogel than in alginate only. These results indicate that chondrocytes with chitosan-alginate gel on PLCL scaffolds provide an appropriate biomimetic environment for cell proliferation and matrix synthesis, which could successfully be used for cartilage repair and regeneration.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.124-130
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• 2012

The uniform nanofibers of poly(L-lactide-$co$-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PLCL) with different contents of marine collagen (MC) were successfully prepared by electrospinning method. The effects of the major parameters in electrospinning process such as tip to target distance (TTD), voltage, nozzle size and flow rate on the average diameter of the electrospun nanofiber were investigated in generating composite nanofiber. The diameter and morphology of the nanofibers were confirmed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, we measured a water contact angle to determine the surface wettability of the nanofibers. The average diameter of the nanofibers decreased as the value of TTD, MC contents, and voltages increased in comparison with that of pristine PLCL nanofiber. In contrast, the diameter of the nanofibers increased as the flow rate and inner diameter of nozzle increased in comparison with that of pristine PLCL. In addition, the hydrophilicity of the nanofiber and attachment of MG-63 cells on the sheets increased as incorporated collagen contents increased. Therefore, the marine collagen would be a potential material to enhance cellular interactivity of synthetic materials by mimicking the natural tissue.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.477-483
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• 2014

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PCL) blends with various components for melt-blown non-wovens were prepared by a twin-screw extruder. Tributyl citrate (TBC) was added in order to improve the miscibility between PLA and PCL. The results showed that small circular particles of PCL were dispersed in PLA matrix uniformly. The addition of PCL had the heterogeneous nucleation effect on the crystallization of PLA and decreased thermal stability of PLA. The flow of pure PLA and blends approached to Newtonian liquid at a low shear rate and expressed more obvious viscoelasticity at a high shear rate.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2003

Drug releasing porous poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL)-chitosan matrices were fabricated for bone regenerative therapy. Porous matrices made of biodegradable polymers have been playing a crucial role as bone substitutes and as tissue-engineered scaffolds in bone regenerative therapy. The matrices provided mechanical support for the developing tissue and enhanced tissue formation by releasing active agent in controlled manner. Chitosan was employed to enhance hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of the PCL matrices. PDGF-BB was incorporated into PCL-chitosan matrices to induce enhanced bone regeneration efficacy. PCL-chitosan matrices retained a porous structure with a 100-200 $\mu$m pore diameter that was suitable for cellular migration and osteoid ingrowth. $NaHCO_3$ as a porogen was incorporated 5% ratio to polymer weight to form highly porous scaffolds. PDGF-BB was released from PCL-chitosan matrices maintaining therapeutic concentration for 4 week. High osteoblasts attachment level and proliferation was observed from PCL-chitosan matrices. Scanning electron microscopic examination indicated that cultured osteoblasts showed round form and spread pseudopods after 1 day and showed broad cytoplasmic extension after 14 days. PCL-chitosan matrices promoted bone regeneration and PDGF-BB loaded matrices obtained enhanced bone formation in rat calvarial defect. These results suggested that the PDGF-BB releasing PCL-chitosan porous matrices may be potentially used as tissue engineering scaffolds or bone substitutes with high bone regenerative efficacy.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2008

In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were compounded with the poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix at the solution state using chloroform. For homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs in polymer matrix, oxygen-containing groups were introduced on the surface of MWCNTs. The mechanical properties of the PCL/MWCNTs composites were effectively increased due to the incorporation of MWCNTs. The composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy in order to obtain information on the dispersion of MWCNT in the polymeric matrix. In case of 1.2 wt% of MWCNTs in the matrix, strength and modulus of the composite increased by 12.1% and 164.3%, respectively. In addition, the dispersion of MWCNTs in the PCL matrix resulted in substantial decrease of the electrical resistivity of the composites as the MWCNTs loading was increased from 0 to 2.0 wt%. Furthermore, thermal stability of the PCL and PCL/MWCNTs-COOH composites were investigated using the data acquired from the thermogravimetric analysis. The detailed kinetics of the thermal degradation of the composites was investigated by analyzing their thermal behavior at different heating rates in a nitrogen atmosphere. Activation energy of thermal degradation was determined by using the equations proposed by Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa. The apparent activation energy of PCL/MWCNTs-COOH composite was considerably higher than that of neat PCL.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2007

Biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be applied in the biomedical area of biosensors, drug delivery, etc. Therefore, in this study, biodegradable theophylline MIPs were synthesized via photopolymerization using a poly $(\varepsilon-caprolactone)$ (PCL) macromer as a cross-linker and their physical properties were investigated. The yield for the synthesis of the PCL macromer with terminal acrylate groups was ca. 78 mol%. The products were characterized by the combination of FT-IR and $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopic analyses. UV/Visible spectroscopic analysis for removing and rebinding theophylline was performed by monitoring the theophylline concentration in the solution. In vitro biodegradation tests of the theophylline MIPs performed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution at $37^{\circ}C$ showed good biodegradability of the MIPs.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2005

PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers composed of poly (lactic acid) (PLA), low molecular weight poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (LPCL), and high molecular weight poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (HPCL) were prepared by melt blending and spinning for bioab­sorbable filament sutures. The effects of blending time and blend composition on the X-ray diffraction patterns and tensile properties of PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers were characterized by WAXD and UTM. In addition, the effect of in vitro degra­dation on the weight loss and tensile properties of the blend fibers hydrolyzed during immersion in a phosphate buffer solu­tion at pH 7.4 and 37$^{\circ}C$ for 1-8 weeks was investigated. The peak intensities of PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers in X-ray diffraction patterns decreased with an increase of blending time and LPCL contents in the blend fibers. The weight loss of PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers increased with an increase of blending time, LPCL contents, and hydrolysis time while the tensile strength and modulus of the blend fibers decreased. The tensile strength and modulus of the blend fibers were also found to be increased with an increase of HPCL contents in the blend fibers. The optimum conditions to prepare PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers for bioabsorbable sutures are LPCL contents of $5 wt\%, HPCL contents of $35 wt\%, and blending time of 30 min. The strength retention of the PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fiber prepared under optimum conditions was about $93.5\% even at hydrolysis time of 2 weeks.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.575-579
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• 2009

Copolymerization of L-lactide and s-caprolactone initiated by tin (II) octoate (Sn(Oct)$_2$) was carried out in supercritical chlorodifluoromethane (R22) with varying reaction conditions (time and temperature) and amounts of monomer and catalyst, under a pressure of 250 bar. The optimum conditions were a reaction time of 10 h and a temperature of 130 $^{\circ}C$, which is similar to the temperature used in bulk copolymerization system. The conversion increased from 56% to 76% by increasing the reaction time from 1 to 10 h. The molecular weight also increased to 75,900 g.mol$^{-1}$ over the same period, while the increased monomer concentration resulted in a high molecular weight of 86,400 g.mol$^{-1}$ and a monomer conversion of 84%. Raising the reaction temperature from 90 to 130 $^{\circ}C$ increased the monomer conversion as well as the poly-L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone (PLCL) molecular weight. The variation on the stannous octoate catalyst suggested that less catalyst would decrease the caprolactone content of the polymer.