Biopolymers like polycaprolactone (PCL) are common materials for soft tissue engineering. As many other biopolymers PCL degrades during its residence time in the human body. Even if the mechanism of degradation strongly is depending on the applied polymer, any degradation process causes a change in the molar mass of the polymer. Due to this change in chain-length the mechanic properties are also affected.
Most soft scaffolds are attached to patients by sutures. When force is applied on a suture a high local stress is introduced in the sample. By a suture retention test [1] the resistance against this specific stress scenario is measured. Because of the degradation of the polymer during its time of application the suture retention properties of different molar masses are of importance for the mid- to long-term performance of a scaffold.
PCL with a molecular number average of 80 kDa, 45 kDa, and 15 kDa has been used. In order to achieve a higher elastic modulus bimodal blends of the 80 kDa with the other above mentioned molar masses were investigated. The blends were dissolved in chloroform and cast into petri dishes. After the solvent evaporated, samples were taken from the films and suture retention tests were performed.
The results of the suture retention tests show a dependency on the molar mass and on the blend composition. By blending different molar masses in a matching composition the resistance against suture pull out even can be increased. Using a tailor-made law of mixtures the effect of two component blends can be modeled.
[1] Küng F., Schubert D. W., Stafiej P., Kruse F. E., Fuchsluger T. A.; Mater Sci Eng C, 2016, 69, 941-946