Biodegradability of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) after femtosecond laser irradiation.
Biodegradation is a key property for biodegradable polymer-based tissue scaffolds because it can provide suitable space for cell growth as well as tailored sustainability depending on their role. Ultrashort pulsed lasers have been widely used for the precise processing of optically transparent materials, including biodegradable polymers. Here, we demonstrated the change in the biodegradation of a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) following irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses at different wavelengths. Microscopic observation as well as water absorption and mass change measurement revealed that the biodegradation of the PLGA varied significantly depending on the laser wavelength. There was a significant acceleration of the degradation rate upon 400 nm-laser irradiation, whereas 800 nm-laser irradiation did not induce a comparable degree of change. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that laser pulses at the shorter wavelength dissociated the chemical bonds effectively, resulting in a higher degradation rate at an early stage of degradation.
School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.
Akimichi
A
Shibata
School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.
Shuhei
S
Yada
School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.|Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.
Mitsuhiro
M
Terakawa
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D007834:Lasers; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D014867:Water; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid