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Molecular Weight Changes in Polymer Erosion

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Abstract

We report a study of the effects of polymer molecular weight on the erosion of polyanhydride copolymer matrices composed of 1,3-bis (p-carboxyphenoxy)-propane (CPP) and sebacic acid (SA) in aqueous solution. The erosion profile characteristically displays an induction period during which the erosion rate is relatively slow. The length of this period depends on the initial molecular weight of the polymer. The induction period may be characterized as a time during which a rapid decrease in polymer molecular weight occurs, the end of this period correlating with the time required for the polymer molecular weight to decrease to below a value of approximately 5000 (MW).

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Author notes

  1. Antony D’Emanuele

    Present address: Department of Pharmacy, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, U.K.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139

    Antony D’Emanuele, Jennifer Hill, Janet A. Tamada & Robert Langer

  2. School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel

    Abraham J. Domb

Authors
  1. Antony D’Emanuele
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  2. Jennifer Hill
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  3. Janet A. Tamada
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  4. Abraham J. Domb
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  5. Robert Langer
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D’Emanuele, A., Hill, J., Tamada, J.A. et al. Molecular Weight Changes in Polymer Erosion. Pharm Res 9, 1279–1283 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015801216466

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