• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.622-627
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• 2007

Porous poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds were fabricated by salt leaching method. The PCL scaffolds were treated with aqueous NaOH for 0h, 2h, 4h, 8h, and 12h at $40^{\circ}C$. The NaOH-treated PCL scaffolds were dipped in $CaCl_2$ and $K_2HPO_4{\cdot}_3H_2O$ solution alternately three times to induce apatite nuclei onto the surface of the scaffolds. The NaOH-treated PCL scaffolds were immersed into SBF solution for 1day to grow the apatite. The apatite formation were investigated as a fuction of NaOH treatment time. The hydrophilicty and surface area of the PCL scaffolds were increased with NaOH-treatment time. The NaOH-treated PCL scaffolds were successfully formed a dense and uniform bone-like apatite layer after immersion for 1 day in SBF solution.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2001

11-Aminododecanoic acid, to insert the functional group of -COOH reacted with the end group of poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) diol, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMA), to increase the d-spacing of Montmorillonite (MMT), were intercalated into $Na^+;_-$MMT. The modified MMT was reacted with poly(${varepsilon}-caprolactone$) diol ($M_n{=2000$) in THF solution at $80^{\circ}C$ for 4 hrs. After reaction, poly(${varepsilon}-caprolactone$) ($M_n{=80000$) was mixed into the solution for 12 hrs. To prepare the PCL/clay nanocomposite film this solution was cast into the silicon mold at $60^{\circ}C$ in vacuum oven for 6 hrs. From the results of XRD and TEM, it was found that the exfoliated PCL/clay nanocomposite were prepared. The effects of the amount of MMT on the mechanical properties and thermal properties of PCL/clay nanocomposites have been investigated by tensile tester and DSC. Because the MMT was dispersed homogeneously in PCL matrix, the Young's modulus of the nanocomposite were found to be excellent. However, MMT dispersed in PCL matrix had almost no effect on the tensile strength of the composites. The crystallization temperature of PCL increased in proportion to 3 wt% MMT in the PCL matrix.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.763-768
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• 2012

The uniform and highly smooth nanofibers of biocompatible poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PCL) composited with different contents of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were successfully prepared by electrospinning. Experimental parameters were MWCNTs addition to a PCL solution and applied voltages. The topographical features of the composite nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and its electrical properties were measured by a four-point probe method. The surface resistance gradually decreased with an increasing content of MWCNTs in PCL fibers because of the excellent electrical conductivity of MWCNTs. The nanofiber diameter could be regulated by varying the solution viscosity and voltages. Our results establish that this kind of electrospinning PCL/MWCNTs nanofibers with the control of fiber diameter and electrical conductivity may be a promising candidate for the application of scaffolds in tissue engineering.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2011

Electron beam-induced crosslinking of polycaprolactone (PCL) films containing various crosslinking agents (CAs) was investigated in this study. PCL films containing various CAs prepared by a solution casting method were irradiated by electron beams at various absorption doses and the irradiated PCL films were investigated in terms of their crosslinking degree, thermal and mechanical properties, and biodegradability. Based on the results of the crosslinking degree measurement, triallyl isocyanurate was found to be most effective for the electron-beam induced crosslinking of PCL films. The results of the UTM, DMA, and TMA revealed that the thermal and mechanical properties of the crosslinked PCL films were greatly improved in comparison to those of the pure PCL. The results of the enzymatic degradation test revealed that the biodegradability of the crosslinked PCL films was reduced in comparison to that of the pure PCL.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.323-328
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• 2015

Poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers and PCL/silica membranes were synthesized by sol-gel derived electrospinning and casting, respectively. Smooth PCL nanofibers were obtained from the precursor containing N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). PCL/silica membranes were prepared by varying the tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) contents from 0 to 40 vol% to investigate the effect of silica addition on mechanical properties and cytotoxicity of the membranes. Although the strength of the membranes decreased from 12 to 8 MPa with increasing the silica content, the strength remained almost constant 7 weeks after dipping in phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS). The strength reduction was attributed to the presence of a patterned surface pores and micro-pores present in the walls between pores. The crystal structure of the membranes was orthorhombic and the crystallite size decreased from 57 to 18 nm with increasing the silica content. From the agar overlay test, the PCL/silica membranes exhibited neither deformation and discoloration nor lysis of L-929 fibroblast cells.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2007

Uniform microcapsules containing ionic model drugs were prepared by controlling various conditions of emulsification procedure using a lab-scale membrane emulsification system with a SPG (Shirasu porous glass) tubular membrane. We observed the effects of various emulsification parameters [concentration and molecular weight of polycaprolatone (PCL) polymer, transmembrane pressure and emulsifier concentration in disperse phase and continuous phase, stirring speed] on the mean size and size ditribution of microcapsules containing lidocaine hydrochloride (cationic drug), sodium salicylate (nonionic drug) and 4-acetaminophen (anionic drug) used as a model drugs. Also, release characteristics of a model drugs from PCL microcapsules were investigated. Controlling membrane emulsification parameters, uniform PCL microcapsules with about $5\;{\mu}m$ of the mean size were finally prepared. The release rate and the burst effect of microcapsules were decreased in condition of the acidic solution, but it was increased in condition of the base solution.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2007

Biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be applied in the biomedical area of biosensors, drug delivery, etc. Therefore, in this study, biodegradable theophylline MIPs were synthesized via photopolymerization using a poly $(\varepsilon-caprolactone)$ (PCL) macromer as a cross-linker and their physical properties were investigated. The yield for the synthesis of the PCL macromer with terminal acrylate groups was ca. 78 mol%. The products were characterized by the combination of FT-IR and $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopic analyses. UV/Visible spectroscopic analysis for removing and rebinding theophylline was performed by monitoring the theophylline concentration in the solution. In vitro biodegradation tests of the theophylline MIPs performed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution at $37^{\circ}C$ showed good biodegradability of the MIPs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2014

We report a novel approach for fabricating active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for sensitive detection. This approach is based on the assembling of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto the electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber film. The hydrophobic surface of PCL nanofiber film was pretreated using UV-inducing graft polymerization with acrylic acid. Afterwards this PCL nanofiber film was incubated with the AuNP solution to promote the assembly of AuNPs onto the PCL nanofibers and the formation of SERS active substrate. 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) molecule was used as a test probe for SERS experiments, indicating that the substrate has high sensitivity to SERS response. Our method has great advantage in term of environment-friendly synthesis, large-scale, high stability and good reproducibility. This highly active SERS substrate can be employed to detect the drug molecule, 2-thiouracil.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2560-2566
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• 2012

The present study investigates how the thermal stability of retinol (vitamin A) encapsulated in polyester nanoparticles is influenced by the types of polyester used for the nanoparticles. A variety of polyester-retinol nanoparticles were prepared with various polyesters like: poly(ethylene adipate), PEA; poly(butylene adipate), PBA; poly(hexamethylene adipate), PHMA; and three polycaprolactones, PCL, of different molecular weights ($M_n$ ~10, 40, and 80K). The chemical stability of retinol in these nanoparticles, monitored in an aqueous solution at $25^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks, was high in the following order of the nanoparticles prepared with PHMA > PCL 40K > PCL 10K > PCL 80K > PBA~PEA at $25^{\circ}C$ and PCL 10K > PCL 40K > PHMA > PCL 80K > PEA > PBA at $40^{\circ}C$. More importantly, this study has also found that the thermal stability of the retinol in the nanoparticles was closely connected with the melting temperatures of polyesters and polyester nanoparticles. The results were further discussed with possible factors - such as sample preparation condition (or history) and miscibility between the polyesters and retinol - affecting $T_m$ of the polyesters and the nanoparticles.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.646-655
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• 2007

To achieve targeted drug delivery for chemotherapy, a ligand-mediated nanoparticulate drug carrier was designed, which could identity a specific receptor on the surfaces of tumor cells. Biodegradable poly(ethylene oxide)/poly$({\varepsilon}-caprolactone)$ (PEG/PCL) amphiphilic block copolymers coupled to biotin ligands were synthesized with a variety of PEG/PCL compositions. Block copolymeric nanoparticles harboring the anticancer drug paclitaxel were prepared via micelle formation in aqueous solution. The size of the biotin-conjugated PEG/PCL nanoparticles was determined by light scattering measurements to be 88-118 nm, depending on the molecular weight of the block copolymer, and remained less than 120 nm even after paclitaxel loading. From an in vitro release study, biotin-conjugated PEG/PCL nanoparticles containing paclitaxel evidenced sustained release profiles of the drug with no initial burst effect. The biotin-conjugated PEG/PCL block copolymer itself evidenced no significant adverse effects on cell viability at $0.005-1.0{\mu}g/mL$ of nanoparticle suspension regardless of cell type (normal human fibroblasts and HeLa cells). However, biotin-conjugated PEG/PCL harboring paclitaxel evidenced a much higher cytotoxicity for cancer cells than was observed in the PEG/PCL nanoparticles without the biotin group. These results showed that the biotin-conjugated nanoparticles could improve the selective delivery of paclitaxel into cancer cells via interactions with over-expressed biotin receptors on the surfaces of cancer cells.