Crystallization and Properties of Poly(lactide)/Poly(δ-valerolactone) Alternating Supramolecular Copolymers Adjusted by Stereocomplexation

Xuetao Shi; Zhanxin Jing; Guangcheng Zhang

doi:10.1021/acsomega.9b00380

Crystallization and Properties of Poly(lactide)/Poly(δ-valerolactone) Alternating Supramolecular Copolymers Adjusted by Stereocomplexation

ACS Omega. 2019 Jun 26;4(6):11145-11151. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.9b00380. eCollection 2019 Jun 30.

Authors

Xuetao Shi¹, Zhanxin Jing², Guangcheng Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Natural and Applied Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China.
² Department of Applied Chemistry, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.

Abstract

The crystallization behavior of a series of synthesized polylactide (PLA)/poly(δ-valerolactone) (PVL) supramolecular copolymers with 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone (UPy) groups is investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The stereocomplexation of PLA-based supramolecular polymers (SMPs) is strongly related to the block length, L/D ratios, and the UPy groups. Both the increase of the PLA block length and the self-complementary hydrogen bonding of the UPy end groups restrain the crystallization of the PVL blocks. The stereocomplexation of PLA-SMPs is greatly promoted by UPy groups, while the homocrystallization of PLA is constrained. The dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that the enhanced stereocomplexation would lead to higher thermal resistance and mechanical properties of PLA-based SMPs.