Self-reinforcement and hydrolytic degradation of amorphous lactic acid based poly(ester-amide), and of its composite with sol-gel derived fibers

Anna-Maija Haltia; Kimmo Lähteenkorva; Pertti Törmälä; Antti Helminen; Jukka Tuominen; Jukka Seppälä; Sinikka Veittola; Jarno Ahvenlammi

doi:10.1023/a:1019803022615

Self-reinforcement and hydrolytic degradation of amorphous lactic acid based poly(ester-amide), and of its composite with sol-gel derived fibers

J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2002 Oct;13(10):903-9. doi: 10.1023/a:1019803022615.

Authors

Anna-Maija Haltia¹, Kimmo Lähteenkorva, Pertti Törmälä, Antti Helminen, Jukka Tuominen, Jukka Seppälä, Sinikka Veittola, Jarno Ahvenlammi

Affiliation

¹ Tampere University of Technology, Institute of Biomaterials, P.O. Box 589, FIN-33101 Tampere, Finland.

PMID: 15348182
DOI: 10.1023/a:1019803022615

Abstract

The self-reinforcing and hydrolytic degradation of an amorphous poly(ester-amide) (PEA) based on lactic acid have been studied and compared with those of poly-L-lactide (PLLA). The studied PEA-rods were self-reinforced (SR) by solid-state die drawing resulting double shear strength. The hydrolytic degradation of PEA was studied during exposure to phosphate buffered saline at pH 7.4 and at 37 degrees C for 18 weeks. The degradation and mechanical properties of PEA were also followed in a self-reinforced composite structure consisting of PEA and sol-gel derived SiO(2)-fibers (SGF, 8 wt %). The hydrolytic degradation of the SR-PEA-rods with and without SG-fibers was significantly faster than that of SR-PLLA-rods. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of PEA decreased by 90% from the initial Mw during the first 6 weeks in hydrolysis, when the Mw of the PLLA decreased by 10%.