The biodegradation behavior of a siloxane/polycaprolactone composite

Due to their high biocompatibilities and simple modifications, polymers have attracted a lot of attention for use in biomedical applications. Nevertheless, a large number of polymers are not ecologically friendly or biodegradable. It is well recognized that natural polymers are environmentally friendly and biodegradable, whereas synthetic polymers offer better mechanical and thermal properties. Thus, the resulting hybrid materials have the potential for environmental and biomedical applications by combining the benefits of synthetic and natural polymers. In this work, ε-caprolactone (CL) was polymerized utilizing an aminopropyl polydimethylsiloxane (APDMS) oligomer to generate a siloxane/polycaprolactone hybrid copolymer. Energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDX), NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and AFM (atomic force microscopy) were used to evaluate the siloxane/polycaprolactone composite material. The effects of this compound on the evolution of tomato plants (Lypercosium esculentum) were investigated, but also on their biological stability by identifying some microorganisms developed on the surface, given its susceptibility to biodegradation. The development of microorganisms, specifically Lypercosium esculentum, which was originally found on polycaprolactone-based hybrid polymeric materials, demonstrates that these products exhibit appropriate environmental susceptibility and do not significantly alter soil composition or plant evolution. Furthermore, without impairing soil bioremediation, the investigated hybrid could be a solution in the future because of its better performances when compared to the individual materials and its ability to model properties according to the field of usage.