Abstract
Biodegradable polymer, Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), is synthesized using crude glycerol and sebacic acid as an based product on many biomedical laboratories with good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Biodegradability is a usually hydrolysis behavior of biodegradable polymer in vivo and in vitro, which can be conventionally facilitated through the enzyme treatment. However, it is interesting to understand the possibility of degradation of PGS if it is exposed by the high energy radiation. Free radical can damage tissue in biology and it come from water radiolysis. Hydrogen peroxide also can simulate free radical form water radiolysis without radiation energy. Degradation tests, functional groups tests and surface erosion were performed to characterize the mechanical and chemical properties of different PGS products after the natural hydrolysis, enzyme treatment, or radiolysis respectively. Then put forward hypotheses about the change of PGS mechanism by radiation and free radical. This work is expected to investigate the degradation performance for biodegradable polymer that might be utilized under radiation environment and free radical attacked.