title: Porous polyglycolide.
abstract: The solid-state polymerization of halogenoacetates leads quantitatively to polyglycolide (polyglycolic acid) and an eliminated metal halide. Washing out this salt leaves highly porous polyglycolide (total pore volume about 50%) with pore sizes in the submicron range. Thorough examination of the product with different methods (DSC, IR, and X-ray diffraction) gave no indication of any remaining halogenoacetate. This distinct micromorphology should be advantageous for its application as a biomaterial. Special features of porous polyglycolide are an inherent surface roughness, a high specific surface, a higher gas permeability, and a lower density compared to conventionally prepared polyglycolide. The control over these properties should allow a fine-tuning of the biocompatibility of polyglycolide.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Germany. epple@xray.chemic.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epple
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herzberg
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid