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Controlling stereocomplex crystal morphology in poly(lactide) through chain alignment.

Anthony V Tuccitto1, Andrew Anstey1, Nello D Sansone2

  • 1Multifunctional Composites Manufacturing Laboratory (MCML), Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada; Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory (MPML), Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|July 19, 2022
PubMed
Summary

This study demonstrates how aligning poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) chains via fibrillation enhances stereocomplex crystallite (SC) formation. This method improves material properties even with low PDLA content, overcoming cost limitations.

Keywords:
BiopolymersConfined crystallizationPoly(lactide)StereocomplexStructure-property relationshipsUniaxial extension

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Materials Science
  • Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

  • Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) has limitations like poor crystallization kinetics and melt strength.
  • Incorporating poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) to form stereocomplex crystallites (SCs) improves PLLA properties but requires high PDLA concentrations (>3 wt%), increasing costs.
  • Current methods for SC formation in PLLA/PDLA blends are often costly or inefficient.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the use of chain alignment in PLLA/PDLA blends to enhance stereocomplex superstructure morphology.
  • To overcome the limitations of high PDLA content requirement for improved PLLA properties.
  • To develop a cost-effective and efficient method for improving PLLA-based materials.

Main Methods:

  • PLLA/PDLA blends were processed using a single-step spunbond fibrillation technique.
  • Microfibers (5-20 μm diameter) were produced with aligned PLLA and PDLA chains along the flow direction.
  • In situ SC formation was induced upon heating the aligned blends.

Main Results:

  • Chain alignment significantly improved crystallization kinetics, melt elasticity, and tensile performance of PLLA/PDLA blends.
  • These improvements were observed even with low PDLA content (<3 wt%), reducing material costs.
  • The enhanced properties were attributed to topological variations in SC superstructures induced by chain alignment.

Conclusions:

  • Chain alignment is an effective strategy for tuning SC superstructure morphology in PLLA/PDLA blends.
  • This approach overcomes the need for high PDLA concentrations, offering a cost-effective solution for improving PLLA materials.
  • The fibrillation process and subsequent chain alignment provide a versatile method for enhancing polymer properties for various applications.