Abstract
Vegetable oil-based polymers are attractive regarding environmental concerns to produce polymers through an environmentally friendly process to noble applications, as the biomedical ones. Epoxidized vegetable oils can be used as a comonomer; however, its polymerization processes commonly use toxic raw materials which do not enable its use for biomedical application. In this paper is presented the synthesis procedure for a copolyester derived from epoxidized castor oil and citric acid, using a green route approach, with non-toxic solvents and reagents, without the use of catalysts or initiators, and no production of hazardous residues. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy presented the infrared absorption bands of the copolyester. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed good thermal stability (190 °C) and an elastomeric behavior (Tg < 5 °C). Absorption capacity and gel fraction analysis indirectly showed the influence of the citric acid in the degree of reticulation. The cell colonization viability of the copolyester surface was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the direct toxicity assessment investigated its non-toxic response. These results suggest the potential for biomedical application of the (epoxidized castor oil - citric acid) copolyester.
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