[Interests] [Projects] [Publications] [Inventions] [News Clips]
[Teaching] [Chu's Tribe] [Profile] [Personal]
Research Projects
Biodegradation Properties of Synthetic Biodegradable Biomaterials


The objective of this project is to examine the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could affect the biodegradation behavior of synthetic biodegradable biomaterials in vitro for achieving better understanding of the degradation mechanism and structure-property relationship. The project could also lead to the discovery of unique fiber morphology of biodegradable biomaterials. Wound closure biomaterials have been used as the model compounds for such a mechanistic study.

Those intrinsic and extrinsic factors include the pH of the degradation media, the type of electrolytes in the degradation media, the external stress/strain applied, the temperature of the degradation media, -irradiation, free radicals, superoxide ions, a variety of enzymes, bacteria, lipids, synovial fluid, plasma surface modification and computer modeling of the effects of steric hindrance and electronic induction on hydrolytic degradation.




BACK