Mechanical evaluation of poly-ε-caprolactone and biosilicate® Composites

Abstract

The search for functional materials that repair and/or regenerate of biological tissues in a satisfactory manner has continually risen in the past few years. For such applications, composite materials are each time being better accepted, capable of merge properties from different materials. In this context, the purpose of this study is the development and mechanical characterization of bioactive composite films based on Poly(ε-caprolactone) and Biosilicate®, obtained from two different routes. Route 1 uses the solvent casting technique, and route 2 consists of phase precipitation followed by solvent casting. The mechanical tests show that route 1 presents samples more resistant than route 2, probably due to it high porosity levels. The addition of BS yielded an increase in Young’s modulus of around 46%, although the maximum stress and yield strength were reduced. Nevertheless, the mechanical properties of the developed materials are compatible with the biological tissues.