Poly(glycolic acid) fiber-reinforced bioabsorbable composites with improved interfacial properties

Bioabsorbable composites, designed for use as rigid tissue scaffolds, were fabricated by reinforcing free radically cured poly(D,L-lactide) fumarate matrices with absorbable poly(glycolic acid) fibers. To investigate the benefits of an improved fiber/matrix interphase, fiber pretreatments were employed including surface-etching by exposure to mild acidic conditions and incorporation of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane as a coupling agent. SEM of composite fracture surfaces showed that fiber pretreatment yielded improved wetting and encapsulation of the fibers by the matrix resin. The composites fabricated with poly(glycolic acid) fibers which were acid-etched and pretreated with the coupling agent showed an average 41% increase in tensile strength; a representative sample displayed an increase from 73.9 MPa to 105.5 MPa, compared to the composite made from untreated fibers.