Hydrolytic and microbial degradation of multi-block polyurethanes based on poly(ɛ-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene glycol) segments

• Published in: Polymer degradation and stability Vol. 95; no. 10; pp. 2013 - 2021
• Main Authors: Cometa, S., Bartolozzi, I., Corti, A., Chiellini, F., De Giglio, E., Chiellini, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical reactions and properties; Degradation; Exact sciences and technology; Mineralization; Organic polymers; PCL; PEG; Physicochemistry of polymers; Poly(ether-ester-urethane)s; Swelling; Degradation; PCL; PEG; Swelling; Mineralization; Poly(ether-ester-urethane)s; Biological properties; Biodegradability; Triacylglycerol lipase; Esterases; Lactone polymer; Polyaddition; Ethylene oxide polymer; Aliphatic polymer; Polycaprolactone; Amphiphilic polymer; Biodegradation; Enzyme; Mechanical properties; Tensile property; Chemical degradation; Experimental study; Urethane copolymer; In vitro; Carboxylic ester hydrolases; Hydrolysis; Cyclic ether polymer; Multiblock copolymer; Enzymatic digestion; Hydrolases; Kinetics
• ISSN: 0141-3910; 1873-2321
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2010.07.007

Biodegradable amphiphilic multi-block poly(ether-ester-urethane)s were prepared by one-step bulk polycondensation of PEG and PCL macro-diols and HMDI. For biomedical or environmental applications of the proposed materials, one of the critical steps is the study of the degradation characteristics under physiological or environmental conditions. Different ratios of PEG/PCL and molecular weights of the resultant copolymers allowed for tuning their hydrophilicity, as evaluated by water uptake measurements. The swelling results were further supported by microgravimetric measurements performed by QCM-D. In vitro hydrolytic biodegradation was carried out under different conditions ( i.e., in phosphate buffer solution – with and without Lipase). Total mineralization in the presence of microorganisms from a sample of river water was observed to follow different kinetics, depending upon the composition and the molecular weight of the copolymer.