On the Development of Polylactic Acid/Polycaprolactone Blended Films with High Retention Capacity

The retention capacity of polymers is related to the development of systems that combine high surface-to-volume ratio with good handling and specific functionality. Biodegradability and biocompatibility are also key features for extending the field of applications to areas such as biomedicine. With this in mind, the aim of this work is to develop biodegradable, biocompatible, and highly functionalized porous films, that ensure suitable handling and a good surface-to-volume ratio. Polylactic acid (PLA) is applied as a polymer matrix to which a polycaprolactone with a star-shaped architecture (PCL-COOH) to ensure a high concentration of carboxylic end functionalities is added. The porous films are prepared using the phase inversion technique, which, as shown by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis, promotes good dispersion of the PCL-COOH domains. Absorption and release measurements performed with a positively charged model molecule show that the retention capacity and release rate can be tuned by changing the PCL-COOH concentration in the systems. Moreover, the adsorption properties for the formulation with the highest PCL-COOH content are also demonstrated with a real and widely used drug, namely doxorubicin. Finally, the bio- and hemocompatibility of the films, which are enzymatically degradable, are evaluated by using human keratinocytes and red blood cells, respectively.