CHED 811 |
| Poly(L-lactide), PLLA, has received attention for medical applications such as drug delivery systems, surgical implants, and scaffolds for tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, PLLA is crystalline and brittle. The introduction of a soft segment through copolymerization with poly(propylene glycol), PPG, could extend its applications to products where elasticity and biodegradability are required. We have synthesized multiblock and A-B-A triblock copolymers of PLLA and PPG. Bulk polymerizations were carried out in an argon atmosphere by ring opening L-lactide in the presence of a stannous octoate catalyst. Coupling reactions between PLLA and PPG produced both types of copolymers. By varying the molar ratio of L-lactide to PPG a series of triblock and multiblock copolymers with different molar masses and relative block length, and thus different mechanical properties and hydrophilicity should be obtained. We will present synthetic procedures and copolymer characterization via 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, viscometry, and differential scanning calorimetry. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Polymer Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |