Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) is an aliphatic polyester prepared by the ring-opening polymerisation of caprolactone. Its low melting point and long aliphatic repeat unit give it a high elongation and a slow hydrolysis rate compared with poly(lactic acid) and polyglycolide [1]. The slow degradation suits devices that must remain intact for more than a year, and the polymer therefore appears in long-term implants and in controlled-release matrices [2]. It is miscible with several other polyesters and is often blended to adjust the degradation rate and the mechanical response [3]. The low melting point allows scaffolds and fibres to be produced by melt extrusion and by three-dimensional printing without a solvent, which is convenient when the loaded active substance is moisture-sensitive [4]. The same low melting point limits the sterilisation routes available and restricts the material to service temperatures below roughly sixty degrees [5].
- caprolactone
- ring-opening polymerization
- hydrolysis rate
- polyester
- melt extrusion
- scaffold
- elongation
References
- Dziemiańczyk, P.; Łysik, D.; Vernay, F.; Mystkowska, J.; Understanding Polycaprolactone Degradation: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Biomedical Device Design. Materials 2026, 19, 3894, 10.3390/ma19183894.
- Emonts, C.; Bauer, B.; Pitts, J.; Roger, Y.; Hoffmann, A.; Menzel, H.; Gries, T.; Mechanical, Biological and In Vitro Degradation Investigation of Braided Scaffolds for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering Based on Different Polycaprolactone Materials with Chitosan-Graft-PCL Surface Modification. Polymers 2024, 16, 2349, 10.3390/polym16162349.
- Kahdim, Q.S.; Abdelmoula, N.; Al-Karagoly, H.; Albukhaty, S.; Al-Saaidi, J.; Fabrication of a Polycaprolactone/Chitosan Nanofibrous Scaffold Loaded with Nigella sativa Extract for Biomedical Applications. BioTech 2023, 12, 19, 10.3390/biotech12010019.
- González-González, A.M.; Cruz, R.; Rosales-Ibáñez, R.; Hernández-Sánchez, F.; Carrillo-Escalante, H.J.; Rodríguez-Martínez, J.J.; Velasquillo, C.; Talamás-Lara, D.; Ludert, J.E.; In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Polylactic-Co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) (80:20) Scaffold for Improved Treatment of Chondral (Cartilage) Injuries. Polymers 2023, 15, 2324, 10.3390/polym15102324.
- Dias, J.R.; Sousa, A.; Augusto, A.; Bártolo, P.J.; Granja, P.L.; Electrospun Polycaprolactone (PCL) Degradation: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study. Polymers 2022, 14, 3397, 10.3390/polym14163397.