Pure Appl. Chem., 2002, Vol. 74, No. 5, pp. 869-880
doi:10.1351/pac200274050869
MACROMOLECULAR DIVISION
COMMISSION ON POLYMER CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES
WORKING PARTY ON STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF COMMERCIAL POLYMERS
Studies on biodegradable poly(hexano-6-lactone) fibers. Part 3. Enzymatic degradation in vitro (IUPAC Technical Report)
Toshio Hayashi, Kazuo Nakayama**, Masatsugu Mochizuki, and Toshiro Masuda
1Research Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8570, Japan; 2Macromolecular Technology Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan; 3Technology Development Division, Unitika Ltd., 4-1-3, Kyotaro-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-8566, Japan; 4Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Abstract:
Poly(hexano-6-lactone) (PCL*) fibers were enzymatically
degraded by a hydrolase in vitro. The extent of degradation of PCL fibers
was examined by weight loss, mechanical properties loss such as tensile
strength and ultimate elongation decreases, and visual observations
by scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro degradation of PCL fibers
was carried out using a lipoprotein lipase
(Lipase-PS) as a hydrolase. The kinetic study on the weight loss of
PCL fiber accompanying the enzymatic degradation suggested that the
degradation of PCL fibers gradually takes place from the surface, not
bulk degradation. The rate of degradation was found to depend on draw
ratio and crystallinity of the PCL fibers. The strength loss of PCL
fibers in the course of degradation took place faster than the weight
loss of PCL fibers. Sonic velocity measurements as well as dynamic mechanical
properties of PCL fibers were also examined as a function of weight
loss of sample fibers with Lipase-PS treatments. It was shown that sonic
velocity and value of loss tangent d changed steeply for undrawn PCL
fiber in the first step with enzymatic digestion.
**Corresponding author.