A bioresorbable polymer that snaps back to its original shape,even after being stretched 10 times its initial length,has been developed by Toray Industries Inc.(Tokyo).The company also has identified a technology to accelerate degradation of the polymer by means of hydrolysis.The material-would benefit regenerative medicine and other medical applications as well as various industrial uses. A novel co-polymerization method involving lactide,dimers of lactic acid and caprolactone enabled Toray to significantly reduce crystallinity and impart flexibility and rupture resistance to the material.Furthermore,by controlling hydrolysis of the polymer,Toray was able to increase the decomposition speed tenfold.
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