Fabrication and characterization of polycaprolactone-based green materials for drug delivery

Abstract Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable and biocompatible synthetic polymer having wide applications in biomedical and nonmedical areas. PCL is chemically a polyester compound with attractive physical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties that makes it suitable for wide usage. The features of PCL can be altered by modifying its chemical structure and degree of crystallinity. PCL is also compatible with several other polymers and is reported for its application in controlled drug delivery. PCL is now under research focus for its green material development for drug delivery in tissue engineering, replacement of extracellular matrix, dentistry, contraceptives, implant-based long-term therapy, etc. The unique tailorable properties of PCL like thermal responsiveness, drug entrapment, degradation kinetics, mechanistic properties, fabrication easiness, controlled release nature make the PCL a promising polymer for research. In this chapter, the synthesis, properties, biodegradation, applications, green material composites, significant research findings, challenges, and future scope with major attention on fabrication and characterization will be discussed.