Biotribological behavior of polycaprolacton (PCL)/carbon quantum dots (CQDS) films

Abstract

Several new-generation synthetic biodegradable polymers have been developed specifically for biomedical applications in the last two decades. Polycaprolacton (PCL) was chosen as the polymer matrix in this study because it is known for its ease of synthesis, commercial availability, and excellent biocompatibility. Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs), one of the carbon nanostructures with superior properties, were used as fillers to produce PCL film nanocomposites with improved biotribological properties. The biotribological behavior of (Sample of K-CQDs produced from Rosehip) K-CQDs filled PCL matrix nanocomposite films containing 0.3 and 2.0 wt. % K-CQDs filler were investigated in sliding against an alumina (Al2O3) counterface by a constant loading (2.5 N) and sliding speed (1.7 cm s-1) experiments carried out in a reciprocating friction testing machine in 0.154 M isotonic salt solution. PCL/K-CQDs-2.0 film had lower friction coefficent value (0.304) with a 70% decrease, and wear rate (0.00051 mm3/Nm; 65% decrease) compared to PCL/K-CQDs-0.3. The surface images of PCL/K-CQDs-2.0 film after the wear test indicated that the wear width trace and the adhesive wear traces decreased. In addition, the absence of cracks on the worn surface showed that both films were resistant to plastic deformation.

Keywords

• Polycaprolacton
• carbon quantum dots
• nanocomposite films
• biotribology

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