Development of new poly(ϵ-caprolactone)/chitosan films

Abstract

This study reports for the first time the production of poly(ε-caprolactone)/chitosan (PCL/CHT) films by solvent casting using a mixture of formic acid/acetone (70:30 vol%). Both uncrosslinked and crosslinked films with the natural crosslinker genipin were developed. The mechanical properties of the samples were analyzed by dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) in the hydrated state. DMA was also successfully used for the first time to monitor in situ the crosslinking process as a function of time and crosslinker concentration. The compatibility between the polymers in the blended films was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that phase distribution is highly dependent on the blend composition. The developed films could potentially be used in different applications, such as tissue engineering scaffolds.