Fabrication of PLCL Block Polymer with Tunable Structure and Properties for Biomedical Application

Biodegradable materials are pivotal in the biomedical field, where how to precisely control their structure and performance is critical for their translational application. In this study, poly(L-lactide-b-is an element of-caprolactone) block copolymers (bPLCL) with well-defined segment structure are obtained by a first synthesis of poly(is an element of-caprolactone) soft block, followed by ring opening polymerization of lactide to form poly(L-lactide acid) hard block. The pre-polymerization allows for fabrication of bPLCL with the definite compositions of soft/hard segment while preserving the individual segment of their special soft or hard segment. These priorities make the bPLCL afford biodegradable polymer with better mechanical and biodegradable controllability than the random poly(L-lactide-co-is an element of-caprolactone) (rPLCL) synthesized via traditional one-pot polymerization. 10 mol% is an element of-caprolactone introduction can result in a formation of an elastic polymer with elongation at break of 286.15% +/- 55.23%. Also, bPLCL preserves the unique crystalline structure of the soft and hard segments to present a more sustainable biodegradability than the rPLCL. The combinative merits make the pre-polymerization technique a promising strategy for a scalable production of PLCL materials for potential biomedical application.

Automated summary

In this study, well-defined poly(L-lactide-b-caprolactone) block copolymers (bPLCL) were synthesized through a pre-polymerization method with precise control over their composition and structure. These materials exhibit better mechanical properties and biodegradability control compared to randomly copolymerized poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone) (rPLCL). Introduction of 10 mol% caprolactone results in an elastic polymer with elongation at break of 286.15% +/- 55.23%. The unique crystalline structure of the soft and hard segments in bPLCL contributes to its more sustainable biodegradability. The pre-polymerization technique shows promise for scalable production of PLCL materials for biomedical applications.