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Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a synthetic semicrystalline biodegradable polyester with a melting point of approximately 60 °C and a glass transition temperature of about −60 °C. It is most commonly used in the production of specialty polyurethanes, imparting excellent resistance to water, oil, solvents, and chlorine. Chemically, it consists of the repeating unit (C₆H₁₀O₂)ₙ, with the systematic IUPAC name poly(hexano-6-lactone) and CAS registry number 24980-41-4. Typical physical properties include a density of 1.145 g/cm³ and thermal conductivity of 0.05 W/(m·K) at 25 °C. PCL undergoes biodegradation through hydrolysis of its ester bonds under physiological conditions and is degradable by microorganisms from the Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla. It has received FDA approval for select human applications such as drug delivery devices, sutures, and adhesion barriers. Polycaprolactone is synthesized primarily by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, catalyzed most often by stannous octoate in the presence of low-molecular-weight alcohols as chain-length modifiers. This process enables precise control of molecular weight, yielding products ranging from low-molecular-weight polyols to high-molecular-weight resins. In industrial applications, PCL functions as a specialty polyol for thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, coatings, adhesives, sealants, and cast elastomers, delivering superior low-temperature flexibility, hydrolytic stability, low melt viscosity, and light stability. In biomedical fields, it serves as a bioabsorbable polymer for long-term implants, controlled-release drug systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, bone repair composites, dental materials, and dermal fillers, with tunable intrinsic viscosity, degradation profiles spanning months to years, and customizable end groups. Additional uses include resin additives to improve processability and impact resistance, blends with starch for enhanced biodegradability and cost efficiency, polymeric plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride, and filaments for fused deposition modeling 3D printing. Polycaprolactone combines outstanding biocompatibility, complete biodegradability to carbon dioxide and water, and excellent processability through low melt viscosity and good solubility. Its performance can be tailored via molecular weight, copolymer ratios, and end-group chemistry to satisfy GMP-grade and FDA requirements, positioning it as a foundational material for high-performance industrial polyurethanes and advanced biomedical technologies.
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