%0 Journal Article
%T The Development and Characterization of Polycaprolactone and Titanium Dioxide Hybrids
%A Mariana Sato de S. B. Monteiro
%A Maria In¨ºs Bruno Tavares
%J Advances in Nanoparticles
%P 11-27
%@ 2169-0529
%D 2018
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/anp.2018.71002
%X Organic/Inorganic hybrid materials have been attracting much attention since they combine the advantages of inorganic materials with the properties of organic polymers. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO<sub>2</sub>) present good thermal stability, accessibility and catalytic properties. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a bi-ocompatible and bioresorbable material, which is being examined as biode-gradable packaging materials, controlled drug release carriers and other medical applications. Hybrids based on PCL containing different amounts of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, ranging from 0.05% to 0.35% w/w, were prepared using the solution cast method. These systems were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The FTIR analysis confirmed that there was an interaction between the PCL chains and the TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles. The XRD and DSC analysis showed that the PCL crystallization was affected by TiO<sub>2</sub> incorporation, modifying its semi-crystalline structure to a less ordered structure. When TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were added the values of T<sub>1</sub>H and T1¦ÑH increased for all hybrids, therefore, their addition produced a new material with less molecular mobility. In the TG analysis, it was observed that the introduction of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles decreased the thermal resistance of PCL. In DSC analysis, the PCL/TiO<sub>2</sub> hybrids presented a reduction in the crystallization temperature and degree of crystallinity, except for PCL hybrids containing 0.15% w/w of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles.
%K Poly (¦Å -Caprolactone)
%K Dioxide Titanium
%K Hybrids
%K NMR Relaxometry
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=82580