Soybean Oil Based Polylactic Acid Membranes: Synthesis and Degradation Characteristics

Controlling the degradation parameters is one of the main challenges of preparing appropriate biomaterials for biomedical applications. In this study, the effect of soybean oil inclusion on hydrolytic degradation of polylactic acid (PLA) was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. PLA/oil membranes were prepared by using polymeric soybean oil (PSO), epoxidized soybean oil and soybean oil (SOYA) with their varied concentrations. Degradation of membranes was performed in vitro for 8 weeks period and in vivo for 4 weeks period. Weight loss, changes in molecular weight, thermal properties and morphological changes were studied during degradation. SOYA blended PLA membranes show the lowest degradation rates by bulk degradation after 4 weeks in vitro, followed by surface erosion for the first week. Approximately twofold high percentage weight losses of all membranes were obtained after 4 weeks of degradation in vivo in comparison with in vitro data. The significant weight loss, molecular weight loss and thermal property change for PSO blended membranes were determined during in vivo degradation which highlights the increase of degradation rate by bulk degradation. Drastic morphological changes were observed on surface of degraded membranes in vivo with large pores, cracks, fissures and large cavities.