Mechanical and viscoelastic properties of chitin fiber reinforced poly(ε-caprolactone)

Poly(ε-caprolactone)/chitin fiber (PCL-CF) composites as potential bone substitutes were prepared using a simple melt-processing method. The results from differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) showed that there was interaction between PCL and CF. Static mechanical testing showed that tensile strength, Young’s modulus and flexural strength were increased by the addition of CF. The measurements from DMTA and an advanced rheometric expansion system showed that both the storage modulus and loss modulus were enhanced by CF. The PCL-CF composite with CF of 45% by mass had the best properties among all the tested composites.     

Mechanical,thermal and morphological properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone)/zein blends

Blends of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) with zein (PCL/zein) in different proportions (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100 wt% containing 5 wt% glycerol) were compared based on their mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus), and on their thermal properties, the latter determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The morphology of the materials was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Blends of PCL/zein showed reduced tensile strength and elongation at break, but increased Young's modulus compared to the pure polymers, in agreement with the DMTA and SEM results. These findings indicated that PCL and zein were incompatible. TGA showed that the thermal stability was enhanced by the addition of zein to PCL, whereas SEM showed a poor interfacial interaction between the polymers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation,mechanical properties,and in vitro biocompatibility of novel nanocomposites based on polyhexamethylene carbonate fumarate and nanohydroxyapatite

In the current study a new biodegradable nanocomposite based on poly hexamethylene carbonate fumarate (PHMCF) and nano‐sized hydroxyapatite (nano‐HA) has been developed. A silane coupling agent γ‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane, was used to achieve a good interfacial adhesion between nano‐HA and PHMCF matrix. PHMCF with different nano‐HA contents were characterized using dynamical mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and hardness test. The effect of frequency on storage modulus, glass transition temperature (T_g) and the damping were investigated. In vitro cytotoxicity and proliferation were performed using G292 cell lines by MTT assay. The addition of nano‐HA resulted in an increment on the storage modulus and decrement on the damping. Along with improvement in mechanical properties of composites, the addition of nano‐HA resulted in enhanced cell proliferation. Following these results, the newly developed nano‐PHMCF composite scaffold may be considered for bone tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Viscoelastic properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone) – hydroxyapatite micro‐ and nano‐composites

Various composites have been proposed in the literature for the fabrication of bioscaffolds for bone tissue engineering. These materials include poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) with hydroxyapatite (HA). Since the biomaterial acts as the medium that transfers mechanical signals from the body to the cells, the fundamental properties of the biomaterials should be characterized. Furthermore, in order to control the processing of these materials into scaffolds, the characterization of the fundamental properties is also necessary. In this study, the physical, thermal, mechanical, and viscoelastic properties of the PCL‐HA micro‐ and nano‐composites were characterized. Although the addition of filler particles increased the compressive modulus by up to 450%, the thermal and viscoelastic properties were unaffected. Furthermore, although the presence of water plasticized the polymer, the viscoelastic behavior was only minimally affected. Testing the composites under various conditions showed that the addition of HA can strengthen PCL without changing its viscoelastic response. The results found in this study can be used to further understand and approximate the time‐dependent behavior of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In-situ Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Hydroxyapatite Composite Hydrogel by Freezing-thawing Method

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/hydroxyapatite(PVA/HA) composite hydrogel was successfully in-situ synthesized via three cycles of freezing-thawing. The composition and structure of products were investigated by X-ray diffraction( XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The influence of different preparation methods and contents of material on the mechanical properties of PVA/HA composite hydrogel was discussed through tensile and compressive tests. The template of PVA could avoid the agglomeration of HA particles, which improves the mechanical properties of the composite hydrogel effectively. The tensile strength, modulus and compressive performances of the PVA/HA composite hydrogel prepared by the in-situ synthesis method were better than those of hydrogel obtained by the simple blend metliod. In addition, the effect of the content of PVA, HA, and the pH value on tlie properties of tlie PVA/HA composite hydrogel has been discussed in detail.     

Preparation and Characterization of Aligned PLLA/PCL/HA Composite Fibrous Membranes

Aligned poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL)/hydroxyapaite (HA) composite fibrous membranes were fabricated by electrospinning. Their morphology, thermal stability, mechanical properties, hydrophilic properties and biocompatibility were investigated. The electrospun fibers are highly aligned and the HA are oriented along the fiber axis. When HA are incorporated, the PLLA/PCL/HA composite fibers become thinner due to the increased conductivity. In addition, the aligned HA reinforce the electrospun fibrous membranes. The larger porosity and higher hydrophilic properties induced by HA in the electrospun fibers have improved the degradation of the PLLA/PCL/HA fibrous membranes which have no toxic effect on proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells.     

Thermomechanical properties of cured isophtalic polyester resin modified with poly(ε-caprolactone)

The effect of a low profile additive, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), on the thermal and mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester resins (UP) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and tensile tests. The morphology of the systems has been studied by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Two PCL molecular mass were selected (PCL2: M _n = 2000 g mol⁻¹ and PCL50: M _n = 50000 g mol⁻¹) to analyze the influence of the molecular mass and the content of PCL on the UP resins and to establish the relation between thermomechanical behavior and morphology. DSC and DMTA glass transition temperatures (T _g) of the UP cured samples containing PCL indicate that PCL2 is miscible with UP whereas for UP + PCL50 system, T _g values are very close to the ones corresponding to neat UP. Besides in UP + PCL2 systems, one phase morphology is observed in which PCL2 would act as solvent of the reacting mixture along curing process; however, UP + PCL50 systems present phase-separated morphology. The presence of PCL2 and PCL50 in UP resin leads to a decrease of the tensile strength and the Young′s modulus as much notorious as the PCL concentration increases. For UP + PCL2 system the elongation at fracture increases in relation to neat UP, increasing as well with the PCL content.     

Fabrication of chitosan/collagen/hydroxyapatite scaffolds with encapsulated Cissus quadrangularis extract

Here, we demonstrated the fabrication of a composite scaffold (chitosan [CS], collagen [Col], and hydroxyapatite [HA]) with the incorporation of encapsulated Cissus quadrangularis (CQ) extract for tissue engineering applications. First, the crude extract of CQ loaded nanoparticles were synthesized via double emulsion technique using polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as oil and aqueous phases, respectively. Both PCL (20, 40, and 80 mg/mL) and PVA (0.5%, 1%, and 3% w/v) concentrations were varied to determine the optimum concentrations for CQ‐loaded nanoparticle preparation. The CQ‐loaded PCL nanoparticles (CQ‐PCL NPs), prepared with 20 mg/mL PCL and 0.5% (w/v) PVA, exhibited the smallest size of 334.22 ± 43.21 nm with 95.54 ± 1.49% encapsulation efficiency. Then, the CQ‐PCL NPs were incorporated into the CS/Col/HA scaffolds. These scaffolds were also studied for their ultrastructure, pore sizes, chemical composition, compressive modulus, water swelling, weight loss, and biocompatibility. The results showed that the addition of CQ‐PCL NPs into the scaffolds did not dramatically alter the ultrastructure and properties of the scaffolds, compared to CS/Col/HA scaffolds alone. However, incorporation of CQ‐PCL NPs in the scaffolds improved the release profile of CQ by preventing the initial burst release and prolonging the release rate of CQ. In addition, the CQ‐PCL NPs‐loaded CS/Col/HA scaffolds supported the attachment and proliferation of MC3T3‐E1 osteoblast cells.     

Preparation and characterization of novel bone scaffolds based on electrospun polycaprolactone fibers filled with nanoparticles

Novel bone-scaffolding materials were successfully fabricated by electrospinning from polycaprolactone (PCL) solutions containing nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) or hydroxyapatite (HA). The diameters of the as-spun fibers were found to increase with the addition and increasing amounts of the nanoparticles. The observed increase in the diameters of the as-spun fibers with the addition and increasing amounts of the nanoparticulate fillers was responsible for the observed increase in the tensile strength of the obtained fiber mats. An increase in the concentration of the base PCL solution caused the average diameter of the as-spun PCL/HA composite fibers to increase. Increasing applied electrical potential also resulted in an increase in the diameters of the obtained PCL/HA composite fibers. Lastly, indirect cytotoxicity evaluation of the electrospun mats of PCL, PCL/CaCO(3), and PCL/HA fibers based on human osteoblasts (SaOS2) and mouse fibroblasts (L929) revealed that these as-spun mats posed no threat to the cells, a result that implied their potential for utilization as bone-scaffolding materials.     

Thermal analysis of cellulose acetate modified with caprolactone

Cellulose acetate (CA) was modified with caprolactone (CL) under various reaction conditions in an internal mixer. The thermal behavior and relaxation transitions of the samples were determined by dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Various relaxation transitions were detected in externally and internally modified cellulose acetate by DMTA. These were assigned to the glass transition of the main chain, to the movement of single glucose units and to hydroxymethyl groups. The β′ transition must belong to structural units larger than a single glucose ring and their formation must depend on sample preparation conditions. No transition could be assigned to grafted polycaprolactone (PCL) chains by DMTA. Contrary to other groups, we could not detect even the transitions of modified CA by DSC. Only the crystallization of oligomeric PCL homopolymer was observed mostly when it diffused to the surface of the sample.     

PLA/MWNTs/HA复合材料的制备和性能研究

采用超声辅助原位湿法合成多壁碳纳米管／羟基磷灰石纳米复合材料(MWNTs／HA),并通过溶液浇铸法制备了PLA／MWNTs／HA复合材料薄膜。考察了MWNTs／HA纳米粒子含量对复合膜性能的影响,并通过力学性能、SEM、FTIR、以及DMTA对复合膜性能进行了表征,结果表明：随着纳米粒子质量分数的增加,复合膜的拉伸强度呈下降趋势;拉伸模量和储能模量呈现先下降后上升的趋势;玻璃化转变温度则呈现不断上升趋势。     

Polyester/organo‐graphite oxide composite: Effect of organically surface modified layered graphite on structure and physical properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone)

Silylated graphite oxide (sGO) was selected as suitable filler to improve the mechanical and electrical conductive properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). The composites of PCL and sGO were prepared by solution blending method. By modifying the surface of GO with silylation reagent (octyltrichlorosilane), the interlayer space of graphite oxide (GO) was increased and an excellent dispersion of the modified GO in the organic solvent and into the PCL matrix was achieved. The structures and physical properties of the sGO/PCL composites were characterized by the fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), tensile tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and volume resistivity measurements. It indicated that the PCL/sGO composites formed an exfoliated structure from the WAXD study. The tensile strength and Young′s modulus of PCL increased with the addition of sGO. It was also found that a small amount of the sGO platelets in the composite could act as a nucleating agent and accelerated the crystallization of PCL. Further, the addition of the sGO platelets into the PCL matrix increased the volume electrical conductivity of PCL. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 294–301, 2010     

碳纳米管对羟基磷灰石基复合材料力学性能的影响

将力学性能优良的碳纳米管(CNTs)与羟基磷灰石(HA)生物陶瓷相复合,发展CNTs/HA复合材料来应用于骨组织修复领域,有望解决HA生物陶瓷力学性能的不足.通过3种不同的制备方法,即通过表面活性剂将CNTs分散在HA基体中、通过酸碱中和反应将CNTs与HA共沉淀以及通过体外浸泡在CNTs上矿化生长HA等方法来获得CNTs/HA复合材料.深入研究CNTs的表面结构和分散状态对CNTs/HA复合材料力学性能的影响.结果表明,CNTs的添加改变了HA的脆性,导致复合材料抗压力学性能得到提高.但是,由于复合材料制备方法的不同,导致CNTs在HA基体中的分散状态、表面结构的完整性以及与HA的界面结合情况不同,导致其抗压力学性能不同.其中,通过表面活性剂将CNTs分散在HA基体中而获得复合材料的抗压力学性能表现最好,而CNTs与HA通过共沉淀法所获得复合材料的抗压力学性能表现最差.     

Evaluation of polyblends of cottonseed protein and polycaprolactone plasticized by cottonseed oil

Recently, there has been an increasing trend toward replacing conventional fossil-based plastics with bioplastics that are eco-friendly and biodegradable. In this work, blends of polycaprolactone (PCL) and cottonseed protein plasticized with cottonseed oil were made and analyzed for their mechanical, adhesive, and thermal properties. The addition of water-washed cottonseed meal (WCSM) to PCL increased the Young’s modulus but decreased the tensile strength and elongation-at-break of PCL. The addition of cottonseed oil to the PCL/WCSM blend kept the tensile strength about the same but enhanced the elongation. The PCL blends with WCSM and cottonseed protein isolate gave about the same mechanical properties, both somewhat better than the PCL/soy protein isolate blend. As plasticizers, cottonseed oil performed slightly better than coconut oil, both better than poly(ethylene glycol). The addition of WCSM and cottonseed oil (up to a PCL:WCSM:plasticizer ratio of 60:40:20) did not change the adhesive performance of PCL on fiberboard. Thus, the combination of PCL/cottonseed protein/cottonseed oil seems to be a viable bioplastic, and one possible application for this material may be in the hot melt adhesive area.     

碳纳米管对羟基磷灰石基复合材料力学性能的影响

将力学性能优良的碳纳米管(CNTs)与羟基磷灰石(HA)生物陶瓷相复合,发展CNTs/HA复合材料来应用于骨组织修复领域,有望解决HA生物陶瓷力学性能的不足。通过3种不同的制备方法,即通过表面活性剂将CNTs分散在HA基体中、通过酸碱中和反应将CNTs与HA共沉淀以及通过体外浸泡在CNTs上矿化生长HA等方法来获得CNTs/HA复合材料。深入研究CNTs的表面结构和分散状态对CNTs/HA复合材料力学性能的影响。结果表明,CNTs的添加改变了HA的脆性,导致复合材料抗压力学性能得到提高。但是,由于复合材料制备方法的不同,导致CNTs在HA基体中的分散状态、表面结构的完整性以及与HA的界面结合情况不同,导致其抗压力学性能不同。其中,通过表面活性剂将CNTs分散在HA基体中而获得复合材料的抗压力学性能表现最好,而CNTs与HA通过共沉淀法所获得复合材料的抗压力学性能表现最差。     

Nanocomposites by melt intercalation based on polycaprolactone and organoclay

Nanocomposites based on biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) and organically modified layered silicates (organoclay) were prepared by melt mixing. Their structures and properties were characterized by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and rheological measurements. The exfoliation of the organoclay was achieved via a melt mixing process in an internal mixer and showed a dependence on the type of organic modifier, the organoclay contents, and the processing temperature. The addition of the organoclay to PCL increased the crystallization temperature of PCL, but a high content of the organoclay could show an inverse effect. The PCL/organoclay nanocomposites showed a significant enhancement in their mechanical properties and thermal stability due to the exfoliation of the organoclay. The nanocomposites showed a much higher complex viscosity than the neat PCL and significant shear‐thinning behavior in the low frequency range. The shear storage modulus and loss modulus of the nanocomposites also exhibited less frequency dependence than the pure PCL in the low frequency range, and this was caused by the strong interactions between the organoclay layers and PCL molecules and by the good dispersion of exfoliated organoclay platelets in the PCL. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 670–678, 2003     

Binary and ternary poly(lactic acid)/poly(ϵ-caprolactone) blends: The effects of oligo-ϵ-caprolactones upon mechanical properties

Oligo-ε-caprolactones(o-CL) have been utilized as principle secondary components within poly(lactic acid)[PLA]-based blends as well as additives within larger-sized PCL/PLA blends in an effort to fully complement the mechanical attributes of the respective polyesters. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis(DMTA) shows that the presence of o-CL plasticizes the PLA non-crystalline phase with a more pronounced effect seen as the size of o-CL is reduced. Moreover, it appears that the size of o-CL could also affect the static mechanical properties of the ternary systems as material stiffness and strength reside between those properties measured for high molecular weight PCL/PLA binary blends and the PLA homopolyester. Future work will examine the ability of these blends to sustain these properties during hydrolytic exposure.     

Thermal stability and viscoelastic properties of MF/PVAc hybrid resins on the adhesion for engineered flooring in under heating system; ONDOL

The thermal properties of blends of melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) for engineered flooring used on the Korean traditional ONDOL house floor heating system were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The viscoelastic properties of the blends were also studied. Because MF resin is a thermosetting adhesive, the effect of MF rein was shown across all thermal behaviors. The addition of PVAc reduced the curing temperature. The TGA results showed that the DTG_max temperature and thermal stability of the blends increased with increasing PVAc content. The blends were examined in non-isothermal DSC experiments at a heating rate of 10 °C/min. There was an exothermic peak in all the heating scanning curves, with each blend displaying a single curing peak temperature (T_p), intermediate between those of the two pure components and varying with the blend composition. The DMTA thermogram of MF resin showed that the storage modulus (E′) increased as the temperature was further increased as a result of the cross-linking induced by the curing reaction of the resin. E′ of MF resin increased both as a function of increasing temperature and with increasing heating rate.     

Zn and Ag Doping on Hydroxyapatite: Influence on the Adhesion Strength of High-Molecular Polymer Polycaprolactone

In this study, density functional theory was employed to calculate the adsorption of polycaprolactone (PCL) by pure hydroxyapatite (HA), Zn-doped HA, and Ag-doped HA, and the interaction of PCL on the surface of HA (001) was simulated. The results show that there was significant electron transfer between the carbonyl O in PCL and the Zn, Ag, and Ca in HA, forming coordinate bonds. The binding energies of Ag-doped HA/PCL and Zn-doped HA/PCL were much higher than those of HA/PCL. HA doped with Ag had the highest binding energy to PCL. Therefore, we believe that when HA is doped with Ag atoms, its adsorption capacity for PCL can be increased. The results obtained in this study can be used as a guide for the development of HA/PCL bone graft composite material doped with appropriate metal ions to improve its adsorption capacity.     

Effect of halloysite nanotube on microstructure,rheological and mechanical properties of dynamically vulcanized PA6/NBR thermoplastic vulcanizates

Dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) nanocomposites based on polyamide-6 (PA6) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) reinforced by halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were prepared via a direct melt mixing process. The effects of HNT on the physical, mechanical, and rheological properties of nanocomposites were investigated. The prepared PA6/NBR/HNT nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning colorimeter (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and rheological measurements. The morphology study of prepared nanocomposites shows that the introduction of HNT into the PA6 phase causes a decrease in the size of NBR droplets. The mechanical measurements revealed that Young’s modulus of TPV nanocomposites increased with the HNT loading up to 54%. DMTA results show that the introduction of 10 wt% of HNT into the PA6/NBR TPV leads to a 30% increase in storage modulus. The rheological measurements revealed that the storage modulus of nanocomposites has an increase of more than 200% in the presence of 7 wt% of HNT loading. Analytical stiffness modeling of Young’s modulus of the TPV nanocomposites was investigated using Hui–Shia and Wu models. Both models have some deviations from experimental results and been modified to predict Young’s modulus of the nanocomposites containing HNT with more precisions. The viscosity behavior of TPV nanocomposites was studied using a Carruea–Yasuda model and showed that the yield stress of nanocomposites increases with higher HNT loadings, indicating the formation of a nanotube network along with NBR phase network.