Comparison of the degradation of polycaprolactone and polycaprolactone-(β-tricalcium phosphate) scaffolds in alkaline medium

Abstract

The design and fabrication of scaffolds and biodegradable devices using slow-degrading polymers and composites (degradation/resorption > 2 years) involve the necessity for long-term in vitro and in vivo studies. If multiple designs and materials need to be tested, then this would use much time and financial resources. Accelerated degradation systems aim to achieve comparable degradation profiles within a shorter period of time. This investigation considers the hydrolytic degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL) and PCL-calcium phosphate (CaP) scaffolds in 5 mol L-1 NaOH at 37°C. The scaffolds degrade via surface erosion, which proceeds in a consistent and predictable manner. The hydrolytic degradation of PCL-based scaffolds alone is slow, governed by their high molecular weights, crystallinity, hydrophobicity, surface-to-volume ratio and porosity. The incorporation of CaP significantly increases the degradation rate. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.