Synthesis and characterization of thermoset biodegradable elastomers based on star-poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide)
Abstract
Biodegradable elastomers represent a useful class of biomaterials. In this paper, we synthesize thermoset elastomers by utilizing the living nature of ring-opening polymerization of a star copolymer of D,L-lactide and epsilon-caprolactone initiated with glycerol and catalyzed by stannous 2-ethylhexanoate. The star copolymers were synthesized of varying molecular weight and monomer composition and cross-linked by compression molding using a dilactone, bis(epsilon-caprolactone-4-yl)propane dissolved in epsilon-caprolactone monomer. The elastomers were then characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and uniaxial tensile testing and their physical properties related to the nature of the star copolymer prepolymers. The results demonstrate a means of predictably altering the elastomer physical properties by adjusting the star copolymer prepolymer initial molecular weight and monomer ratio.
References
Citations
In vitro and in vivo degradation of poly(1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-co-polyol sebacate) elastomers
Sustainable Polyester Elastomers from Lactones: Synthesis, Properties, and Enzymatic Hydrolyzability
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