In vitro examination of poly(glycerol sebacate) degradation kinetics: effects of porosity and cure temperature

Abstract

Poly(glycerol-sebacate) (PGS) is a biodegradable elastomer that is of interest in biomedical applications. While a porous format is common for tissue engineering, PGS degradation has been primarily studied in its nonporous format. This work investigates porous PGS degradation at three cure temperatures, resulting in materials with different mechanical and chemical properties that further influence degradation. Specimens exhibit varied structural degradation, ranging from limited loss of structure to complete loss. The thermal behaviors and mechanical properties also change during degradation, depending upon cure temperature. These observations can inform the choice of polymer processing methods for porous PGS applications.