Poly(glycerol sebacate), PGS, a polyol–polyester of glycerol with sebacic acid, has drawn significant attention given its advantageous properties such as ductility, biodegradability and low biotoxicity. Electrospinning technique and the roles of nanofibers have also been widely investigated for potentials in medical, biological, and environmental applications. Current chemical synthesis methods rely on polycondensation polymerizations that are not selective leading to gels unless reactions are quenched at low functional group conversions. The resulting low molecular weight macromers have a melting point below room temperature which necessitates another carrier polymer when producing nanofibers. In previous studies, lipase catalysis proved effective for the preparation of higher molecular weight glycerol-containing polyesters. In this work, catalysis by immobilized Candida antarctica Lipase B (Novozyme-435) of condensation polymerizations between glycerol, sebacic acid, and 1,8-octanediol was studied to prepare PGS analogous with better physicochemical properties. In non-optimized reaction conditions, lipase-catalysis gave poly(glycerol-1,8-octanediol-sebacate), PGOS, with Mn and Mw values of 9500 and 92000. The addition of 1,8-octanediol (O), depending on the G/O molar ratio, increased the melting temperature of PGS by 36-54°C. PGOS with a G/O ratio of 0.33/66 was processible into nanofibers by electrospinning. The effects of electrospinning parameters on the morphology of nanofibers were investigated. The resulting materials’ thermal and mechanical properties were evaluated. In vitro degradation and cell proliferation profile are also being studied for regenerative medicine applications.

Lipase-catalyzed biodegradable poly(glycerol-1,8-octanediol-sebacate) synthesis and characterization

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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