ABSTRACT:The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanical properties and biodegradability of poly(trimethylenecarbonate--caprolactone)-block-poly(p-dioxanone) [P(TMC--CL)-block-PDO] in comparison with poly(p-dioxanone) and poly(glycolide--caprolactone) (Monocryl) monofilaments in vivo and in vitro. P(TMC--CL)-block-PDO copolymer and poly(p-dioxanone) were prepared by using ringopening polymerization reaction. The monofilament fibers were obtained using conventional melt spun methods. The physicochemical and mechanical properties, such as viscosity, molecular weight, crystallinity, and knot security, were studied. Tensile strength, breaking strength retention, and surface morphology of P(TMC--CL)-block-PDO, poly(p-dioxanone), and Monocryl monofilament fibers were studied by immersion in phosphate-buffered distilled water (pH 7.2) at 37°C and in vivo. The implantation studies of absorbable suture strands were performed in gluteal muscle of rats. The polymers, P(TMC--CL)-block-PDO, poly(p-dioxanone), and Monocryl, were semicrystalline and showed 27, 32, and 34% crystallinity, respectively. Those mechanical properties of P(TMC--CL)-block-PDO were comparatively lower than other polymers. The biodegradability of poly(dioxanone) homopolymer is much slower compared with that of two copolymers.
A series of poly(trimethylenecarbonate-e-caprolactone)-block-poly(p-dioxanone) copolymers were prepared with varying feed rations by using two step polymerization reactions. Poly(trimethylenecarbonate)(e-caprolactone) random copolymer was synthesized with stannous-2-ethylhexanoate and followed by adding p-dioxanone monomer as the other block. The ring opening polymerization was carried out at high temperature and long reaction time to get high molecular weight polymers. The monofilament fibers were obtained using conventional melting spun methods. The copolymers were identified by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The physicochemical properties, such as viscosity, molecular weight, melting point, glass transition temperature, and crystallinity, were studied. The hydrolytic degradation of copolymers was studied in a phosphate buffer solution, pH ¼ 7.2, 37 8C, and a biological absorbable test was performed in rats. V V C 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: [2790][2791][2792][2793][2794][2795][2796][2797][2798][2799] 2005
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