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Published on: November 21, 2017
Poly(ω-pentadecalactone)-b-poly(l-lactide) Block Copolymers via Organic-Catalyzed Ring Opening Polymerization and
Richard Todd1, Sarah Tempelaar1, Giada Lo Re1
1Centre of Innovation and Research in Materials & Polymers CIRMAP, Laboratory of Polymeric and Composite Materials, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
Abstract:
Poly(pentadecalactone)-b-poly(l-lactide) (PPDL-b-PLLA) diblock copolymers were prepared via the organic catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide (l-LA) from PPDL macroinitiators using either 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) or 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD). Synthesis of PLLA blocks targeting degrees of polymerization (DP) up to 500 were found to yield diblock copolymers with crystalline PPDL and PLLA segments when TBD was used as the catalyst. The synthesis was further improved in a one-pot, two-step process using the same TBD catalyst for the synthesis of both segments. The application of these diblock copolymers as a compatibilizing agents resulted in homogenization of a biobased PLLA/poly(ω-hydroxytetradecanoate) (90:10) blend upon a melt-process, yielding enhanced material properties.
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