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Spontaneous Formation of Colloidal Crystals of PLA Stereocomplex Microspheres and their Hierarchical Structure
Author(s) -
Brzeziński Marek,
Biedroń Tadeusz,
Tracz Adam,
Kubisa Przemysław,
Biela Tadeusz
Publication year - 2014
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.201300491
Subject(s) - colloid , scanning electron microscope , materials science , chemical engineering , lactide , macromolecule , morphology (biology) , microsphere , polymer chemistry , colloidal crystal , solvent , precipitation , ionic bonding , copolymer , chemistry , polymer , composite material , organic chemistry , ion , biochemistry , physics , biology , meteorology , engineering , genetics
In this paper, the combined effect of the influence of polylactide (PLA) end‐group nature and PLA architecture on the morphology of stereocomplexes formed during precipitation from organic solvent is investigated. Stereocomplexation of star‐shaped poly( l ‐lactide) and linear poly( d ‐lactide) functionalized with imidazolium ionic liquid end groups in 1,4‐dioxane leads to the formation of uniform microspheres, which are able to crystallize in the form of colloidal crystals. Microscopic scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis show the hierarchical structure of the system starting from the nanometrical grains composed of a few stereocomplex macromolecules that aggregate in uniform microspheres finally forming colloidal crystals of microspheres.