I. Arvanitoyannis et al., NEW COPOLYAMIDES BASED ON ADIPIC ACID, ALIPHATIC DIAMINES AND AMINO-ACIDS - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND BIODEGRADABILITY .5., Macromolecular chemistry and physics, 196(4), 1995, pp. 1129-1151
Novel series of biodegradable copolyamides were synthesized via melt c
opolymerization. The statistical copolyamides were produced by reactio
n of the salt of adipic acid (AA) and bis(para-aminocyclohexyl)methane
(PACM) or isophoronediamine (IPD)/alpha-amino acids at 250 degrees C.
Elemental analyses, density, viscosity, differential thermal analysis
(DTA) and gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements and FT-IR
spectroscopy were employed for the characterization of these copolyami
des. The semicrystalline (AA/PACM/alpha-amino acids) or amorphous (AA/
IPD/alpha-amino acids) nature of these copolyamides was shown with DTA
and wide angle X-ray diffraction patterns. Several methods were used
in order to investigate and assess their biodegradability such as alka
line hydrolysis (10% w/v NaOH, 80 degrees C), burial in soil (microbia
l and bacterial attack) and enzymatic hydrolysis (alpha-trypsin and al
pha-chymotrypsin). The degradation of the copolyamides was evaluated w
ith the aid of GPC and DTA measurements and correlated to the alpha-am
ino acid content. These copolyamides could eventually find application
s in the field of food packaging and agriculture (disposable plastics)
and medicine (sutures).