Preparation and characterization of biodegradable thermoplastic Elastomers (PLCA/PLGA blends)

• Published in: Journal of polymer research Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 77 - 82
• Main Authors: Wang, Liansong, Zhang, Zhiping, Chen, Hechun, Zhang, Shenglan, Xiong, Chengdong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.01.2010; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biodegradability; Blends; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Differential scanning calorimetry; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Mechanical analysis; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Original Paper; Polymer blends; Polymer Sciences; Scanning electron microscopy; Stress-strain relationships; Miscibility; Mechanical properties; Thermomechanical properties; Blends
• ISSN: 1022-9760; 1572-8935
• DOI: 10.1007/s10965-009-9292-9

A biodegradable elastomer (PLCA/PLGA blends) was prepared and characterized. First, poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCA) and poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were synthesized. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to confirm the formation and structure of PLCA and PLGA. The solubility parameters of PLCA and PLGA were measured to estimate the miscibility between them. A series of PLCA/PLGA blends was prepared through solution blending. The morphology of all blends was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and no obvious phase separation was detected at various ratios of PCLA and PLGA. Thermomechanical properties were characterized using thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the results showed that the PLCA/PLGA blends were a type of immiscible but compatible polymer blend. Mechanical properties, particularly stress-strain behavior, were examined; with an increase in PLGA content, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the blends increased dramatically, while elongation at break decreased.