Poly(L-lactic acid) composite with surface-modified magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles by biodegradable oligomer for augmented mechanical and biological properties

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) has attracted a great deal of attention for its use in biomedical materials such as biodegradable vascular scaffolds due to its high biocompatibility. However, its inherent brittleness and inflammatory responses by acidic by-products of PLLA limit its application in biomedical materials. Magnesium hydroxide (MH) has drawn attention as a potential additive since it has a neutralizing effect. Despite the advantages of MH, the MH can be easily agglomerated, resulting in poor dispersion in the polymer matrix. To overcome this problem, oligo-L-lactide-ε-caprolactone (OLCL) as a flexible character was grafted onto the surface of MH nanoparticles due to its acid-neutralizing effect and was added to the PLLA to obtain PLLA/MH composites. The pH neutralization effect of MH was maintained after surface modification. In an in vitro cell experiment, the PLLA/MH composites including OLCL-grafted MH exhibited lower platelet adhesion, cytotoxicity, and inflammatory responses better than those of the control group. Taken together, these results prove that PLLA/MH composites including OLCL-grafted MH show excellent augmented mechanical and biological properties. This technology can be applied to biomedical materials for vascular devices such as biodegradable vascular scaffolds.