Polycaprolactone Powder CAS 24980-41-4

Polycaprolactone powder CAS 24980-41-4 is a semi-crystalline polymer, a chemically synthesized biodegradable polymer. Its structural repeating unit contains five nonpolar methylene-CH2 groups. Blending with substances such as starch can produce fully biodegradable materials.

Polycaprolactone is a biodegradable polymer, non-toxic, biodegradable in soil, with excellent miscibility, mechanical compatibility with many polymers, and good adhesion to many matrices. It is used as an extrusion aid, mold lubricant, release agent, pigment and filler dispersant, and in the polyester segment of polyurethanes and block polyesters.

As a biodegradable polymer, polycaprolactone is widely used in the biomedical field. Its degradation is mainly caused by the hydrolysis of the main chain ester bonds, and can be catalyzed by factors such as temperature, pH, enzymes, and free radicals. In the environment, it is mainly slowly degraded by microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and algae, while hydrolysis, oxidation, enzymatic reactions, and pH catalysis can also promote its degradation. Because the ester structure is easily decomposed by microorganisms or enzymes, with the final products being CO2 and H2O, polycaprolactone is easily recycled, allowing for appropriate control of environmental pollution. In the initial stages of degradation, the molecular weight of PCL decreases, and its macroscopic structure decomposes into smaller polymer fragments that can be completely metabolized by cells or microorganisms. Its terminal hydroxyl groups promote end-group degradation, leading to a linear decrease in the degree of polymerization. Free radicals generated by inflammation can also remove hydrogen from PCL, causing chain breakage and accelerating degradation. Thermoinduced PCL degradation is synergistically promoted through end-group decomposition, random chain scission, and free radical-mediated fragmentation. Furthermore, esterases and lipases may also participate in the PCL degradation process through enzymatic hydrolysis.