Determining conformational order and crystallinity in polycaprolactone via Raman spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: Raman spectroscopy is a popular method for non-invasive analysis of biomaterials containing polycaprolactone in applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. However there remain fundamental challenges in interpretation of such spectra in the context of existing dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry results in both the melt and semi-crystalline states. In this work, we develop a thermodynamically informed analysis method which utilizes basis spectra - ideal spectra of the polymer chain conformers comprising the measured Raman spectrum. In polycaprolactone we identify three basis spectra in the carbonyl region; measurement of their temperature dependence shows that one is linearly proportional to crystallinity, a second correlates with dipole-dipo

SUBMITTER: Kotula AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5557303 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature