Abstract
Melt chain dimensions of two polylactide samples were measured using small-angle neutron scattering, Three polylactides were synthesized: a deuterated polylactide containing 26% R-stereocenters (d-PLA-26), a hydrogenous polylactide with an R-content similar to the deuterated polylactide (PLA-28), and a hydrogenous polylactide that contained no R-stereocenters (PLA-0). The hydrogenous polylactides were each solution blended with the d-PLA-26 at a volume fraction of 0.2 for the deuterated polymer, and the melt chain dimensions of these polymers were determined. Small-angle neutron scattering experiments were performed at 30°C for the d-PLA-26/PLA-28 blend and at 200°C for both the d-PLA-26/PLA-28 and d-PLA-26/PLA-0 blends. Using three analysis methods, the average values for the statistical segment lengths, based on a C 6 repeat unit, were found to be 10.0 ± 0.2 Å for the PLA-28 at 30°C, 8.9 ± 0.2 Å for the PLA-28 at 200°C, and 9.9 ± 0.4 Å for the PLA-0 at 200°C.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1857-1862 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Macromolecules |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 9 2004 |