The effects of different steam-sterilization programs on material properties of poly(L-lactide)

✍ Scribed by F. R. Rozema; R. R. M. Bos; G. Boering; J. A. A. M. van Asten; A. J. Nijenhuis; A. J. Pennings

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 592 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1045-4861
• DOI: 10.1002/jab.770020104

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

As‐polymerized poly(L‐lactide) test rods were sterilized by seven different specially designed computer‐operated autoclaving programs. As a control, common hospital sterilization was performed. In all cases, the molecular weight decreased after sterilization. A short time high‐temperature sterilization lead to less molecular weight decrease than a low sterilization temperature cycle with a longer sterilization time. Regular hospital sterilization significantly reduced the elongation at break and also resulted in a decrease of 35% in tensile strength. The program causing minimal damage to the material properties was studied in detail. This program, with a steriliztioan period of 60 s and 129°C, was effective for PLLA steriliztation and also looks very promising for sterilization of other thermo‐ and moisture‐labile polymers.