THE BIOADHESIVE PROPERTIES OF A TRIBLOCK COPOLYMER OF EPSILON-CAPROLACTONE AND ETHYLENE-OXIDE

Tablets produced by compression of a novel biodegradable triblock copo lymer of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) and ethylene oxide (E), CL(6)E(90)C L(6), have been shown to possess bioadhesive properties. The work of a dhesion, the detachment force, the fracture strength, and the modulus of elasticity were calculated from force-elongation curves measured fo r polymer tablets in contact with mucosal tissue from rat duodenum. En vironmental scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate chang es in the appearance of the tablet surface during its hydration acid a lso after adhesion to the mucosal tissue.