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Triblock Copolymers Based on 1,3‐Trimethylene Carbonate and Lactide as Biodegradable Thermoplastic Elastomers
Author(s) -
Zhang Zheng,
Grijpma Dirk W.,
Feijen Jan
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200300184
Subject(s) - copolymer , lactide , materials science , polymer chemistry , thermoplastic elastomer , trimethylene carbonate , differential scanning calorimetry , elastomer , thermoplastic , composite material , polymer , physics , thermodynamics
Abstract Summary: Biodegradable triblock copolymers based on 1,3‐trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and different lactides (i.e. D , L ‐lactide(DLLA), L ‐lactide (LLA), D ‐lactide (DLA)) designated as poly(DLLA‐TMC‐DLLA), poly(LLA‐TMC‐LLA) and poly(DLA‐TMC‐DLA) were prepared and their mechanical and thermal properties were compared with those of high molecular weight poly(TMC) and poly(TMC‐ co ‐DLLA) statistical copolymers. Triblock copolymers containing crystallizable LLA or DLA segments perform as thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) when the poly(lactide) blocks are long enough to crystallize. In blends of poly(LLA‐TMC‐LLA) and poly(DLA‐TMC‐DLA) triblock copolymers, stereo‐complex formation between the enantiomeric poly(lactide) segments occurs as demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry and light microscopy. These blends have good tensile properties and excellent resistance to creep under static and dynamic loading conditions.Permanent deformation (after 2 h recovery) of compression‐molded poly(TMC) and solvent‐cast poly(LLA‐TMC‐LLA) and poly(ST‐TMC‐ST) films.