Characterization and in‐vitro analysis of poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐“Jackfruit” Mucilage blends for tissue engineering applications

Abstract

Jackfruit mucilage (JM) obtained from the fruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus was melt blended with poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). The physical properties of the blends with more than 60 wt% PCL were investigated. Depression in the equilibrium melting temperature (Tmo) and the presence of extinction rings in the spherulites of PCL in the blends confirmed miscibility of the two components. The carbonyl and the COC groups of PCL and JM were responsible for the interactions as identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal stability of PCL decreased marginally in the blends with increasing JM content. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that no phase separation occurred. Porosity and the mechanical strength of the blends decreased with increasing JM content. Blends exposed to porcine pancreatic lipase showed enzymatic degradation of JM but not PCL and SEM images showed holes in the sample indicative of selective degradation of JM. Cell growth inhibition technique using the L929 fibroblasts cells showed the degree of inhibition was dependent on the increasing JM content in the blends. Blends with low JM content have the potential to be used for increased cell viability while blends with high JM content can be used for the treatment of cancer.

Soil burial degradation studies of photo‐crosslinked PCL‐PDMS‐PCL triblock copolymer films

“…The hydrolysis reaction is much faster as the soil dries while PDMS undergoes extensive degradation when exposed to dry soils. It is discovered that the soil's clay components encourage this rearrangement process 5–8 …”

“…The inclusion of PDMS content can decrease the transition temperature of shape, that is, permanent shape to temporary shape or vice versa, whereas the change in PCL chain length and increase in the crosslink density influence the shape memory properties, that is, shape fixity and shape recovery 14 . PCL‐PDMS‐PCL triblock copolymers were studied experimentally under a simulated body fluid environment by several researchers 7–9,15 . Azemar et al reported that the hydration of PCL‐PDMS‐PCL copolymers increased with the addition of PDMS and PCL end‐chain degraded into small oligomers in a hydrolytic degradation study 8 .…”

“…6 On the basis of medical application, degradation studies on PCL and its copolymers are majorly focused on simulated body fluids. These simulated environments are enzymes, 7 buffer solutions, and water. 8,9 The degradation of polycaprolactone is a bulk process that occurs in two steps: (1) erosion of the surface and (2) cleavage of C O bond or the degradation of macromolecules.…”

“…It is discovered that the soil's clay components encourage this rearrangement process. [5][6][7][8] PCL-PDMS-PCL triblock photo-crosslinked copolymer films can be interesting materials due to their shape memory properties with different transition temperatures. The inclusion of PDMS content can decrease the transition temperature of shape, that is, permanent shape to temporary shape or vice versa, whereas the change in PCL chain length and increase in the crosslink density influence the shape memory properties, that is, shape fixity and shape recovery.…”

“…14 PCL-PDMS-PCL triblock copolymers were studied experimentally under a simulated body fluid environment by several researchers. [7][8][9]15 Azemar et al reported that the hydration of PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymers increased with the addition of PDMS and PCL end-chain degraded into small oligomers in a hydrolytic degradation study. 8 The in-vitro degradation in phosphate buffer saline was were reported by Porjazoska et al 16 and Kayaman-Apohan et al 17 for the copolymers of PLLA with PCL-PDMS-PCL and blend of Poly(D,L-lactic acidco-glycolic acid) with PCL-PDMS-PCL triblock copolymers respectively.…”