Representing the ultra‑high‑molecular‑weight benchmark within the PCL‑Maleimide product portfolio, this 20 kDa variant exhibits dense chain entanglement and markedly elevated crystallinity that sets it apart from 10 K and lower‑molecular‑weight analogues. Even with the lengthy hydrophobic polyester backbone, the terminal maleimide moiety preserves reliable thiol‑targeted Michael‑addition reactivity toward cysteine‑containing biomolecules. Its most defining trait lies in multi‑month‑scale hydrolytic erosion kinetics; solid constructs maintain mechanical integrity over extended in‑vivo timelines, making this material well‑suited for implant‑associated workflows rather than fast‑turnover circulating nanoparticle systems. Material scientists select this polymer when building robust functionalized scaffolds and long‑residing implant prototypes where mechanical persistence and covalent surface bio‑functionalization are core experimental requirements.
Key Features:
- Ultra‑high‑molecular‑weight highly crystalline PCL backbone end‑capped with maleimide; dense chain entanglement delivers exceptional mechanical toughness for implant‑relevant polymer constructs
- Multi‑month slow hydrolytic degradation behaviour; physical architecture remains intact across prolonged biological study cycles before gradual bulk erosion takes place
- Preserved thiol‑selective coupling performance within pH 6.0‑7.4 operational window, compatible with cysteine‑rich proteins and peptide ligands despite high polymer hydrophobicity
- Forms dimension‑stable electrospun fibres and solid implants, resisting structural deformation under subcutaneous tissue‑environment conditions
- Rigorously characterised maleimide end‑group conversion by NMR; low residual catalyst and monomer content suitable for advanced pre‑clinical implant‑oriented laboratory investigation
Applications: ‑ Bio‑functionalized electrospun implant scaffolds with covalently tethered thiol‑containing signalling peptides for long‑term tissue‑engineering research ‑ Fabrication of surface‑modified solid polymer implant prototypes requiring persistent mechanical performance and site‑specific biomolecule immobilization ‑ Development of long‑residence local drug‑release implant systems, where carrier integrity must be maintained over multiple months ‑ Preparation of polymer‑biomolecule conjugates dedicated to implant‑tissue interface modification, rather than short‑circulating intravenous nanoparticle setups ‑ Pre‑screening of implant‑grade reactive polyester materials for translational pre‑clinical research pipelines
Handling & Storage: Maintain lyophilized polymer powder at −20 °C under dry inert gas and strictly shield from light. The maleimide reactive group is vulnerable to moisture‑triggered ring‑opening hydrolysis, which abolishes thiol‑conjugation activity. Place sealed sample vials inside a desiccator and achieve complete room‑temperature thermal equilibration before opening to avoid water vapour condensation onto the polymer solid. Only formulate working solutions with anhydrous thiol‑free organic solvents right before sample preparation; do not store liquid stock solutions over time. This material is exclusively for laboratory research purposes and is not authorised for human clinical application.
AxisPharm offers 5000+ PEG Linkers with high purity. Different kinds of PEG Reagents may be available by custom synthesis.