title: In vitro evaluation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-DL-lactide)/ bioactive glass composites.
abstract: In vitro bioactivity of composites of poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-DL-lactide) P(CL/DL-LA) containing different amounts (40, 60 and 70 wt%) of bioactive glass, S53P4, was evaluated. Two ranges of granule size of bioactive glass (< 45 microm and 90-315 microm) were blended with P(CL/DL-LA) copolymer in a batch mixer. The composites were characterised by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The molecular weight and the melting temperature of the copolymer matrix were adjusted to enable the application of the composite material by injection below 50 degrees C. Formation of Ca-P deposition on the surface of the composites after dissolution in simulated body fluid at 37 degrees C was recorded by scanning electron microscopy. Degradation of the composite material was measured by water absorption and changes in the average molecular weights as a function of the dissolution time. In vitro bioactivity was found to be dependent on the weight fraction and granule size range of the bioactive glass used. The presence of the bioactive filler also accelerated the degradation compared with the neat polymer sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Technology, Polymer Technology, Helsinki University of Technology, Espoo, Finland. seppala@polte.hut.fi
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jaakkola
authors.forename: Teemu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tirri
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Närhi
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yli-Urpo
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seppälä
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005898:Glass; D006868:Hydrolysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; D014867:Water; C062968:lactide-caprolactone copolymer