Influence Of LDPE Content On The Structures And Properties Of Cu/LDPE/MVQ Composite

Copper-containing intrauterine contraceptive devices (Cu-IUDs) are one of the mostworldwide used methods for birth control. The study of novel Cu-IUDs materials anddevices is focused on solving the side effects of existing Cu-IUDs in clinical applications,such as pain and bleeding. Besides, making sure that these materials can be prepared forbirth control devices of various sizes and forms should be taken into consideration.While copper/low-density polyethylene (Cu/LDPE) composites and devices whichhave been used in clinical application, can solve the side reactions of existing Cu-IUDs,such as pain and bleeding, but because of its large elasticity modulus, it is not suitable forthe preparation of Cu-IUDs as O-shaped or uterine-shaped Cu-IUDs. In order to providemore high-performance Cu-IUDs for the general women of childbearing age, Cu-IUDsmaterials and devices which can be prepared with various sizes, various forms and withoutstrings have been expected on the basis of Cu/LDPE composites and devices. Therefore,copper/low-density polyethylene/silicone rubber (Cu/LDPE/MVQ) composites anddevices have been developed. In this paper, the focus on the research is the influence ofLDPE content on the structures and performances of Cu/LDPE/MVQ composite.After the preparation of Cu/LDPE/MVQ composites and devices with various LDPEcontent by using injection molding method, the influence of LDPE content on thestructures and performances of Cu/LDPE/MVQ composite has been studied by usingcharacterization methods of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (Raman),scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS),and testing of tensile tests, absorbance measurements of copper ions and contact anglemeasurement. The results indicate that the LDPE content has great influence on thedistribution of LDPE phase among the Cu/LDPE/MVQ compositealthough the LDPEcontent has no influence on the phases and functional groups of Cu/LDPE/MVQcomposites. Within the experimental range, the LDPE is a discontinuous phase and theMVQ is a continuous phase when the LDPE content is approximatelyless than20wt.%,and both the LDPE and the MVQ are continuous phases when the LDPE content is more than20wt.%. Micro-copper particles among the Cu/LDPE/MVQ composites have asubstantially uniform distribution. Owing to the influence of LDPE content on thedistribution of LDPE phase among the Cu/LDPE/MVQ composite, the LDPE content hasgreat influence on the mechanical properties and copper ion release behavior ofCu/LDPE/MVQ composite: with the increasing of the LDPE content, both tensile strengthand elastic modulus of this composite increase, and elongation at break of this compositedecreases firstly and then increases; with the increasing of the LDPE content, the cupricion release rate of this composite increases, and this phenomenon may be related to theincreasing of hydrophilicity of Cu/LDPE/MVQ composites with the increasing of theLDPE content. These results are very important for us to design novel Cu-IUDs withcontrolled mechanical properties and suitable cupric ion release rate.