Method for testing the degradation of polymeric materials
AssigneeThe Research Foundation of State University of New York
InventorsJoseph A. Gardella, Jr., Jiaxing Chen, Norma L. Hernandez de Gatica, Joo-Woon Lee
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Abstract
The present invention provides a novel method for monitoring the surface concentration of a drug in a polymer blend matrix and the reaction kinetics of the biodegradable polymers. Detailed information on surface concentration, degradation rates, degradation kinetics and mechanism, is provided by using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF SIMS) measurements. Also provided is a method for determining oligomers in hydrolyzed biodegradable polymers.
Claims20
A method for simultaneous determination of surface drug concentration and reaction kinetics of degradation of a drug-polymer matrix comprising a drug and a polymer comprising the steps of:
- providing the drug-polymer matrix;
- initiating degradation of the drug-polymer matrix;
- subjecting the degraded drug-polymer matrix to ToF SIMS spectral analysis;
- identifying and quantifying oligomers on the surface of the drug-polymer matrix from the ToF SIMS spectra as a function of time;
- identifying and quantifying surface drug concentration from the ToF SIMS spectra as a function of time;
- and,
- calculating the rate of formation of one or more oligomers on the surface of the drug-polymer matrix, wherein the rate of formation of one or more oligomers is indicative of the rate of degradation of the polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.