title: Direct micro-patterning of biodegradable polymers using ultraviolet and femtosecond lasers.
abstract: Thin films of biodegradable polymeric materials, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) were micro-patterned using a Ti-sapphire femtosecond pulsed laser and ArF excimer UV laser in ambient conditions. The laser-patterned polymers were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In-vitro degradation tests were performed and the laser-patterned samples showed to be within one standard deviation of the control samples. Our results demonstrate that both lasers are excellent tools for micro-patterning biodegradable polymers since the bulk properties of the material can remain intact and because the direct-write method is rapid, flexible, and a chemical-free process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Shaochen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000295:instrumentation; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D014025:Titanium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide