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Polydioxanone entered surgical practice in the late 20th century as an absorbable polymer useful for tensile-holding surgical sutures and slowly resorbing implants.
Its development followed the broader effort to create synthetic absorbable materials with controlled degradation times longer than polyglycolide (PGA) but retaining adequate strength for tissue healing.
The trade name PDS became synonymous with polydioxanone because early commercial suture products from major manufacturers used the PDS acronym; as a result, literature and product datasheets often refer to the polymer itself as “PDS”.
Nomenclature, synonyms & CAS identifiers
Preferred name: Polydioxanone
Synonyms / abbreviations: PDS, PDO, PPDO, poly(p-dioxanone), poly(para-dioxanone)
Common CAS number for polydioxanone resin: 31621-87-1 (used by resin suppliers and polymer catalogs).
Note on other uses of the acronym “PDS”: PDS can also appear in other product names or technical contexts (e.g., as part of product codes like BARLENE 2 AM 10 FR PDS, which refers to an industrial amine product listing; that Barlene product has its own CAS references unrelated to polydioxanone). Always confirm context when abbreviations are encountered.
Chemical structure and fundamental properties
Polydioxanone is formed by linking p-dioxanone monomer units into a linear polymer with repeating ether-ester linkages.
The repeating unit contains an ether oxygen and an ester carbonyl, which impart flexibility (ether) and hydrolysable linkage (ester). Typical features:
Backbone: —[—O—CH2—CH2—O—CO—CH2—CH2—]— (schematic of ether-ester repeat)
Appearance: white, crystalline pellets or powder (resin).
Glass transition (Tg): around −10 to 0 °C (low Tg gives flexibility at physiological temperatures).
Melting temperature (Tm): typically in the range of ~100–120 °C depending on MW and crystallinity.
Crystallinity: medium (~40–60% typical values reported), which influences strength and degradation.
Synthesis (monomer manufacture and polymerization)
Monomer: p-Dioxanone (1,4-dioxan-2-one) is prepared by chemical routes from ethylene glycol derivatives or by oxidation/ketalization routes (commercial routes vary by supplier).
Polymerization method: ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of p-dioxanone is the principal route. Key points:
Initiators/catalysts: metal-organic catalysts (e.g., tin(II) octoate is common in lab-scale, other catalysts like zirconium complexes or organocatalysts are used to control polymerization). Controlled ROP enables targeted molecular weight.
Conditions: bulk ROP at elevated temperature under inert atmosphere. Low temperature processing is sometimes preferred to avoid depolymerization.
Control of MW and polydispersity: achieved by monomer/initiator ratio, catalyst type and reaction time.
Molecular weight, crystallinity & thermal behaviour
Molecular weight (Mw): commercial PDS resins span a range depending on intended use (fiber extrusion vs. molded implants).
Typical intrinsic viscosities reported are in the range 0.2–4.5 dl/g (supplier specifications). Higher Mw provides higher strength and slower degradation.
Thermal stability: decomposition begins above the polymer’s processing window; care is needed because PDS can depolymerize into the monomer at high temperatures — processing windows must be optimized to avoid degradation.
Mechanical properties & processing
Tensile strength & modulus: PDS exhibits moderate tensile strength with high elongation versus brittle absorbable polymers.
These properties, combined with crystallinity, make it suitable for load-bearing sutures that must retain strength for several weeks.
Processing: PDS can be melt-extruded into filaments for monofilament sutures, extruded/injection molded for implantable parts, or spun into microfibrous scaffolds using specialized techniques. Thermal extrusion must maintain temperatures below depolymerization onset.
Hydrolytic degradation mechanism and kinetics
Mechanism: hydrolysis of ester bonds in the backbone yields lower molecular weight fragments and ultimately water-soluble oligomers and monomer.
The ether linkage contributes to flexibility but does not prevent ester hydrolysis.
Kinetics: PDS degrades slower than PGA and some PLA formulations; its in-vivo retention of tensile strength can extend weeks to months depending on initial MW and geometry.
Typical suture products show appreciable tensile strength retention for ~4–8 weeks with complete resorption over several months.
Degradation is influenced by morphology (bulk vs porous), crystallinity, pH, and local enzymatic influences.
SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT BARLENE 2 AM 10 FR PD
First aid measures:
Description of first aid measures:
General advice:
Consult a physician.
Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
Move out of dangerous area:
If inhaled:
If breathed in, move person into fresh air.
If not breathing, give artificial respiration.
Consult a physician.
In case of skin contact:
Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately.
Wash off with soap and plenty of water.
Consult a physician.
In case of eye contact:
Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and consult a physician.
Continue rinsing eyes during transport to hospital.
If swallowed:
Do NOT induce vomiting.
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Rinse mouth with water.
Consult a physician.
Firefighting measures:
Extinguishing media:
Suitable extinguishing media:
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas
Advice for firefighters:
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.
Accidental release measures:
Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures
Use personal protective equipment.
Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas.
Evacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions:
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Soak up with inert absorbent material and dispose of as hazardous waste.
Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
Handling and storage:
Precautions for safe handling:
Avoid inhalation of vapour or mist.
Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage.
Storage class (TRGS 510): 8A: Combustible, corrosive hazardous materials
Exposure controls/personal protection:
Control parameters:
Components with workplace control parameters
Contains no substances with occupational exposure limit values.
Exposure controls:
Appropriate engineering controls:
Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice.
Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.
Personal protective equipment:
Eye/face protection:
Tightly fitting safety goggles.
Faceshield (8-inch minimum).
Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).
Skin protection:
Handle with gloves.
Gloves must be inspected prior to use.
Use proper glove
removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product.
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices.
Wash and dry hands.
Full contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
Splash contact
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
It should not be construed as offering an approval for any specific use scenario.
Body Protection:
Complete suit protecting against chemicals, The type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous substance at the specific workplace.
Respiratory protection:
Where risk assessment shows air-purifying respirators are appropriate use a fullface respirator with multi-purpose combination (US) or type ABEK (EN 14387) respirator cartridges as a backup to engineering controls.
If the respirator is the sole means of protection, use a full-face supplied air respirator.
Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).
Control of environmental exposure
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Stability and reactivity:
Chemical stability:
Stable under recommended storage conditions.
Incompatible materials:
Strong oxidizing agents:
Hazardous decomposition products:
Hazardous decomposition products formed under fire conditions.
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas.
Disposal considerations:
Waste treatment methods:
Product:
Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company.
Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material.
Contaminated packaging:
Dispose of as unused product
