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Effect of comonomer on thermal/mechanical and shape memory property of L ‐lactide‐based shape‐memory copolymers
Author(s) -
Min Changchun,
Cui Wenjin,
Bei Jianzhong,
Wang Shenguo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.865
Subject(s) - comonomer , copolymer , materials science , lactide , plga , polymer chemistry , shape memory alloy , thermal stability , chemical engineering , composite material , polymer , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , engineering
In this study, three kinds of L ‐lactide‐based copolymers, poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA), poly(lactide‐co‐ p ‐dioxanone) (PLDON) and poly(lactide‐co‐caprolactone) (PLC), were synthesized by the copolymerization of L ‐lactide (L) with glycolide (G), or p ‐dioxanone (DON) or ε‐caprolactone (CL), respectively. The copolymers were easily soluble in common organic solvents. The compositions of the copolymers were determined by 1 H‐NMR. Thermal/mechanical and shape‐memory properties of the copolymers with different comonomers were compared. Moreover, the effect of the chain flexibility of the comonomers on thermal/mechanical and shape‐memory properties of the copolymers were investigated. The copolymers with appropriate lactyl content showed good shape‐memory properties where both the shape fixity rate ( R f )and the shape recovery rate ( R r ) could exceed 95%. It was found that the comonomers with different flexible molecular chain have different effects on their thermal/mechanical and shape‐memory properties. Among them, PLGA has the highest mechanical strength and recovery rate while PLC copolymer has high recovery rate when the lactyl content exceeded 85% and the lowest transition temperature ( T trans ). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.