Blends of poly(d, l‐lactide) with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes‐based biodegradable polyester: Synthesis, morphology, miscibility, and mechanical property. Issue 18 (16th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Tianqiang; Ding, Jing; Li, Jiamin; Liu, Yu; Hao, Jianyuan
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied polymer science. Volume 131:Issue 18(2014:Sep. 15)
• Page Start: 9341
• Page End: 9348
• Publication Date: 2014-04-16
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/app.40776
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8995

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>A highly branched hybrid copolymer based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) was designed to improve the brittleness of poly(d, l‐lactide) (PDLLA). The toughening material was synthesized using POSS‐OH as the core, which initiated the ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone and d, l‐lactide sequentially to form the highly branched POSS<italic>‐g‐</italic>poly (<italic>ε</italic>‐caprolactone)<italic>‐b‐</italic>poly(d, l‐lactide) (POSS<italic>‐g‐</italic>PCL<italic>‐b‐</italic>PLA) copolymer with eight PCL<italic>‐b‐</italic>PLA arms. The POSS<italic>‐g‐</italic>PCL<italic>‐b‐</italic>PLA copolymer had a very good dispersion in the PDLLA matrix with the size of microdomains smaller than 1 µm when added at a low content below 10 wt %. In related to the nano‐scale size of microdomains in the blends, the crystallinity of PCL blocks was significantly suppressed. Thus, the addition of POSS<italic>‐g‐</italic>PCL<italic>‐b‐</italic>PLA is very effective to improve the roughness of the matrix polymer when added at a low content. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. <bold>2014</bold>, <italic>131</italic>, 40776.</p> </abstract>