A series of biodegradable graft copolymers were synthesized by grafting ε-caprolactone over dextran of different molecular weights. The obtained copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, proton nuclear magnetic resonance ¹H NMR, thermogravimetry and elemental analysis. Stable monolayers at the air-water interface and spin coated thin films were prepared and characterized by the Langmuir technique and by contact angle measurements respectively. The compressibility and static surface elasticity of the monolayers and the surface energy of copolymer thin films show dependence with the ε-caprolactone content. From these results it can be concluded that the surface properties of grafted copolymers can be modulated by their composition. Additionally, according to the obtained results, ε-caprolactone grafted-dextrans show potential for being used in different applications where surface properties are important.
dextran; ε-caprolactone; block copolymers; biodegradable; copolymers
