Polycaprolactone microparticles and their biodegradation

Polycaprolactone (PCL) microparticles were prepared by an emulsification-solvent evaporation technique using various stabilizers such as gelatin, hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide derivative (PAM) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). It was shown that the particle size distribution of PCL microparticles was 13.4 +/- 4.7 (mu m) in diameter with gelatin as stabilizer. The degradation behavior of the PCL microparticles was determined and compared with that of PCL film at pH 7.4 at 37 +/- 1 degrees C with and without lipase. The shape of PCL had no obvious effect on its degradation rate. It suggested that homogeneous degradation dominated the process. The degradation rate of PCL microparticles was enhanced in the presence of lipase enzyme. The degree of crystallinity of PCL microparticles increased with degradation, proving preferential degradation in amorphous domains of the PCL microparticles. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.