Macromolecules, Vol.31, No.12, 3895-3905, 1998
Crystallization and melting behavior of polylactides
Six polylactides, polymerized with Salen-Al-OCH3 initiator and having optical purities between 43% and 100%, were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and optical microscopy, following various crystallization conditions. It was found that each of those polylactides can crystallize, even those with low optical purities; their crystallization rate is, however, slower than those for high optical purity polyesters. Moreover, the low optical purity polymers tend to form stereocomplexes between the L and D sequences of the same polylactide, which behavior is ascribed to their multiblock microstructure. A correlation was found between the measured melting temperature of optically active polylactides and their average sequence length.
Keywords:POLY(ETHER ETHER KETONE);STEREOCOMPLEX FORMATION;POLY(L-LACTIC ACID);BLOCK-COPOLYMERS;POLYMERS;POLYMERIZATION;ETHYLENE;POLY(LACTIDE)S;MORPHOLOGY;INITIATOR