Non-destructive and wireless monitoring of biodegradable polymers

A method for monitoring changes in biodegradable polymers during hydrolysis is proposed. This wireless and non-destructive method is based on inductively coupled passive resonance sensors embedded in the polymer shell. In this study, we prepared specimens using two poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymers possessing different degradation profiles. The copolymer embedded sensors were immersed in buffer solution and their resonance features were compared with periodically performed conventional polymer characterization methods. A clear difference was noticed in the wirelessly measured signals between the two tested copolymer materials. Also the reference methods showed clear differences between the degradation profiles of the copolymers. The wirelessly measured signals are likely to correlate to the structural changes in the materials during the hydrolysis. In the future, this technique could be used in the laboratory to provide easy-to-access in situ information about the polymers. Even the state of biodegradable polymer implants could be wirelessly monitored. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.