Poly(ester-ether)s: I. Investigation of the Properties of Blend Films of Polydioxanone and Poly(methyl dioxanone)

Abstract

This study aimed at examining the properties of blends of semi-crystalline polydioxanone (PDX) and amorphous poly(methyl dioxanone) (PMeDX). The authors show that low amounts of PMeDX, within 15 wt% acts as plasticizer to high molar mass PDX as confirmed by an increase in Young's modulus of films. The plasticizing effect on blends increased with decreasing reduced viscosity of PMeDX. Mechanical tests showed overall reduced tensile properties of the blends. Viscosity analysis coupled with SEM and AFM indicated immiscibility of the blends over the whole range of compositions. Blend samples with higher PMeDX contents degraded at faster rates with profiles differing from PDX.

Keywords:

• Blends
• polydioxanone
• poly(ester-ether)s
• poly(methyl dioxanone)

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to NATEC Medical (Mauritius) for assistance in tensile tests and to Prof. Holger Schoenherr (University of Siegen, Germany) for AFM analysis. The authors would also like to thank the Tertiary Education Commission (Mauritius) for awarding a PhD scholarship to Nowsheen Goonoo.

Notes

Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/gpom.