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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 28, 2015
Synthesis of an X-ray opaque biodegradable copolyester by chemical modification of poly (epsilon-caprolactone)
Benjamin Nottelet1, Jean Coudane, Michel Vert
1C.R.B.A.-U.M.R C.N.R.S. 5473, Faculty of Pharmacy, Montpellier I University, 15, Avenue Charles Flahault, BP 14491, 34093 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
Abstract:
Poly (epsilon-caprolactone-co-alpha-iodo-epsilon-caprolactone) was synthesized by binding iodine to PCL chain bearing carbanionic site on alpha-position of carbonyl groups using lithium diisopropylamide. Copolyesters containing from 10% to 25% of iodo-units were thus obtained. Viscoelastic properties (modulus, loss angle), thermal properties (T(m), T(c), DeltaH(m)), crystallinity and in vitro degradability of this new type of copolymers were measured. Their opacity to X-rays was assessed, and appeared high enough to be of interest for biomedical applications.
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