Degradation behavior of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/β-TCP composites prepared using microwave energy

Biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composites were synthesized through polymerization using microwave energy. The degradation behavior of the PLGA/β-TCP composites was carried out at 37 °C in a SBF without changing the solution in order to examine the effect of β-TCP on the degradation behavior. The changes in the molecular weight, mass, and morphology of the composites were examined with respect to the soaking time. An incubation time of 2 weeks was needed to degrade the β-TCP of the composites, indicating that degradation of β-TCP could be started when β-TCP was detached from the PLGA matrix or exposed from composites surface, caused by PLGA matrix was degraded into the SBF solution. The mass loss of the composites with respect to the soaking time revealed that PLGA transformed from a polymer to an oligomer as the degradation process proceeded. The whisker-like morphological changes, caused by the transformation and degradation of the polymer were observed in the composites after week 2. The degradation behavior of the PLGA/β-TCP composites was influenced by the β-TCP content in the composite, and the degradation rate of the composite could be controlled by the initial molecular weight of PLGA.