Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 5-31-2006

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Michael Jaffe

Second Advisor

George Collins

Third Advisor

Wei-kuo Lee

Abstract

Over the years a number of different polymers have been studied for bone applications. Polyesters such as the poly lactic acids (PLA), poly glycolic acids (PGA), and their copolymers have been studied intensely for bone regeneration purposes. Poly(DTE)carbonate has been found useful for bone regenerative purposes and is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the properties of poly(DTE)carbonate when PLLA, PLGA, and P(LcoDL)LA was blended with it. The desired outcome was to produce miscible polymer blends or significant phase shift in the blended materials which will make them at least partially miscible to each other.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermally stimulated current (TSC) analysis of the material identified temperature regions where complex thermal events were occurring. From the experiments it was determined that at certain temperatures poly(DTE) carbonate dipoles spontaneously rearranges while an electric field is across the polymer. Multiple thermal regions were identified and in some cases there are plasticizing and anti-plasticizing events occurring for the blends.n

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.