title: Effect of poly ethylene glycol on the mechanical and thermal properties of bioactive poly(ε-caprolactone) melt extrudates for pharmaceutical applications.
abstract: This paper investigates the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG), on the mechanical and thermal properties of nalidixic acid/poly ε-caprolactone (NA)/PCL blends prepared by hot melt extrusion. The blends were characterized by tensile and flexural analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. Results show that loading PEG in the PCL had a detrimental effect on the tensile strength and toughness of the blends, reducing them by 20-40%. The partial miscibility of the PCL-PEG system, causes an increase in Tg. While increases in the crystallinity is attributed to the plasticisation effect of PEG and the nucleation effect of NA. The average crystal size increased by 8% upon PEG addition. Experimental data indicated that the addition of NA caused loss of the tensile strength and toughness of PCL. Thermal analysis of the PCL showed that on addition of the thermally unstable NA, thermal degradation occurred early and was autocatalytic. However, the NA did benefit from the heat shielding provided by the PCL matrix resulting in more thermally stable NA particles.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK; Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC), Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland. Electronic address: Ahmad.B.Albadarin@ul.ie.
authors.forename: Ahmad B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Albadarin
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre, Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sajjia
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Chirangano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangwandi
authors.affiliation: Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC), Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuhs
authors.affiliation: Stokes Laboratories, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Maurice N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK; Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC), Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland; Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre, Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gavin M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D009268:Nalidixic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D009268:Nalidixic Acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: Drug formulation; Mechanical and thermal properties; Melt extrusion; Nalidixic acid; Poly-caprolactone