Spectroscopic study on the in vitro degradation of a biodegradable composite periodontal membrane

The hydrolithic in vitro degradation of a commercial biodegradable hydroxya patite (HA)-polymer (poly(epsilon -caprolactone)-poly(oxyethylene)-poly(eps ilon -caprolactone) block copolymer, PCL-POE-PCL) composite membrane was in vestigated by Raman and IR spectroscopies in three aqueous media at 37 degr eesC; 0.01 M NaOH solution, saline phosphate buffer (SPB) at pH 7.4 and sim ulated body fluid (SBF) buffered at pH 7.5. The vibrational results showed that the polymeric component undergoes prefe rential degradation of POE blocks while HA is removed by the degradation me dia faster than the polymer, Vibrational spectroscopy appeared to be a vali d non-destructive method for investigating the degradation mechanism of the composite membrane. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.