Multi-arm star polymers of lactide obtained in melt in the presence of hyperbranched oligoglycerols

A high‐molar‐mass multi‐arm star poly(l‐lactide) based on hyperbranched polyglycerol initiator was synthesized on a laboratory scale and in a model research installation in bulk at 190 °C. Multi‐arm star poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA) was synthesized in bulk, via ring‐opening polymerization of l‐lactide ini...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer international 2016-08, Vol.65 (8), p.927-937
Main Authors: Kundys, Anna, Plichta, Andrzej, Florjańczyk, Zbigniew, Zychewicz, Agnieszka, Lisowska, Paulina, Parzuchowski, Paweł, Wawrzyńska, Edyta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bulk polymerization
hyperbranched polyglycerol
Laboratories
melt viscosity
Polyglycerols
polylactide
Polymerization
Polymers
Scale (ratio)
star polymers
Stars
Viscosity
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Summary:A high‐molar‐mass multi‐arm star poly(l‐lactide) based on hyperbranched polyglycerol initiator was synthesized on a laboratory scale and in a model research installation in bulk at 190 °C. Multi‐arm star poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA) was synthesized in bulk, via ring‐opening polymerization of l‐lactide initiated by: trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, myo‐inositol and hyperbranched polyglycerols. The synthesis was carried out on a laboratory scale and also in a model research installation equipped with a 2 L polymerization reactor. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight analysis of the products synthesized in the presence of simple polyols and tin 2‐ethylhexanoate revealed that the reactions were not entirely selective and the final products were a mixture of multi‐arm star, linear and cyclic PLLA. The reactions co‐initiated by polyglycerols (PGs) led to polymer mixtures with molar masses in the range 13.5–102 kg mol−1 and intrinsic viscosity significantly lower than that of linear PLLA with the same molar mass. In order to obtain more hydrophobic PG initiator, a suitable method of modification of PG structure was developed. The PG and modified PG branching agents were used to prepare multi‐arm star PLLA in the model semi‐technical installation. Molar masses of the resulting polymers were in the range 169–249 kg mol−1 and exhibited much lower intrinsic viscosity than the linear homologue. The rheological properties of synthesized materials with commercial PLLA blends as well as thermal and mechanical properties were analysed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0959-8103
1097-0126
DOI:10.1002/pi.5126