Description
- Abstract:
- Understanding polymer morphology is crucial in innovating new technologies for medical devices. This study focuses on characterizing how polymer blending influences morphology and how these morphological changes affect degradation behavior. Through the characterization of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLA), Polycaprolactone (PCL), and Polyethylene Oxide (PEO), key structural changes have been noted through Polarized Light Microscopy, where increased birefringence can be seen in processed samples, thereby suggesting increased order. XRD analysis quantified phase content, revealing that higher PLA content correlates with increased mesophase content. The results also showed that PEO/PCL blends maintain a high crystallinity and minimal mesophase formation. The PLGA degradation study demonstrated the impact of polymer morphology on degradation kinetics. GPC analysis showed that film-cast samples degrade the slowest, followed by mesophase-induced samples, and then unprocessed samples. A second degradation study involving PCL containing hydrophobic drugs (Dolutegravir and Meloxicam) showed the effects of processing temperature on polymer morphology and degradation rate. Minimal morphological changes and degradation were observed over the 3 month period, likely due to PCL’s slow degradation rate. These findings confirm that increased order through mesophase induction indeed slows degradation, highlighting the link between morphology and degradation. This research provides key insights that are crucial in understanding future polymer applications within the biomedical device landscape.
- Notes:
- Thesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2025
Citation
Tatad, Jelynn Ellianna,
"Impact of Pressure and Degradation on Morphology in Mesophase-Inducing Polymer Systems"
(2025).
Biotechnology, Biology and Medicine Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:zz62jybd/
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Biology and Medicine Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations for the Biology and Medicine department....