Synthesis and characterization of a novel biodegradable polylactide.

• Main Author: Cheong, Qi Li.
• Other Authors: Loo Sun Sun Leslie
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Chemical engineering::Polymers and polymer manufacture
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16604
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

A novel one-pot chemical crosslinking methodology was developed for polylactide. This involves transesterification and nucleophilic acylation reactions. Three-arm and four-arm star-shaped poly(DL-Lactide) (PLA) oligomers were successfully synthesized using glycerol and pentaerythritol initiator with 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) organocatalysts by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) in bulk. A series of crosslinked PLA samples were prepared using different reaction conditions and purification techniques. Tensile test demonstrated improved mechanical properties in the synthesized polymers. Crosslinking with 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride resulted in networks polymers with higher tensile strength than non-crosslinked star-shaped homopolymers.