Copolymers of trimethylene carbonate and ε-caprolactone for porous nerve guides: Synthesis and properties
- 1 January 2001
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition
- Vol. 12 (1) , 35-53
- https://doi.org/10.1163/156856201744434
Abstract
Copolymers of trimethylene carbonate and ε-caprolactone were synthesized and characterized with the aim of assessing their potential in the development of a flexible and slowly degrading artificial nerve guide for the bridging of large nerve defects. The effect of the monomer ratio on the physical properties of the polymers and its influence on the processability of the materials was investigated. Under the applied polymerization conditions (130°C, 3 days using stannous octoate as a catalyst) high molecular weight polymers (Mn above 93 000) were obtained. All copolymers had glass transition temperatures below room temperature. At trimethylene carbonate contents higher than 25 mol% no crystallinity was detected. A decrease in crystallinity resulted in the loss of strength and decrease in toughness, as well as in an increased polymer wettability. Amorphous poly(trimethylene carbonate), however, showed excellent ultimate mechanical properties due to strain-induced crystallization (Tm = 36°C). Low crystallini...Keywords
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