Optimizing the balance between stiffness and flexibility by tuning the compatibility of a poly(lactic acid)/ethylene copolymer

The brittleness of poly(lacticacid) (PLA) is a major drawback for its wide application.

Fully biobased thermoplastic elastomers: synthesis and characterization of poly(l-lactide)-b-polymyrcene-b-poly(l-lactide) triblock copolymers

Fully biobased thermoplastic elastomers poly(l-lactide)-b-polymyrcene-b-poly(l-lactide) triblock copolymers with PLLA as hard block and polymyrcene as soft block were synthesized and evaluated.

Toughening modification of PLLA by combination of copolymerization and in situ reactive blending

PLLA/PLLA-b-PBAT-b-PLLA/(PLLA-b-PGMA)₃ blends with different ratio.

Nanofibrous polylactide composite scaffolds with electroactivity and sustained release capacity for tissue engineering

A conveniently fabricated electroactive nanofibrous composite scaffold serves as a sustained drug release system and promotes myoblast differentiation.

Dynamic vulcanization of castor oil in a polylactide matrix for toughening

Dynamic vulcanization of biomass-derived castor oil in the presence of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) in a polylactide (PLA) matrix was performed with the aim of toughening PLA sustainably.

Fabrication of super tough poly(lactic acid)/ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate blends via a melt recirculation approach: static-short term mechanical and morphological interpretation

The notched Izod impact strength of PLA/EVA blends was enhanced significantly with improved toughness making blends super tough.

Polyurethane/polylactide-based biomaterials combined with rat olfactory bulb-derived glial cells and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for neural regenerative medicine applications

Research concerning the elaboration and application of biomaterial which may support the nerve tissue regeneration is currently one of the most promising directions. Biocompatible polymer devices are noteworthy group among the numerous types of potentially attractive biomaterials for regenerative medicine application. Polylactides and polyurethanes may be utilized for developing devices for supporting the nerve regeneration, like nerve guide conduits or bridges connecting the endings of broken nerve tracts. Moreover, the combination of these biomaterial devices with regenerative cell populations, like stem or precursor cells should significantly improve the final therapeutic effect. Therefore, the composition and structure of final device should support the proper adhesion and growth of cells destined for clinical application. In current research, the three polymer mats elaborated for connecting the broken nerve tracts, made from polylactide, polyurethane and their blend were evaluated both for physical properties and in vitro, using the olfactory-bulb glial cells and mesenchymal stem cells. The evaluation of Young's modulus, wettability and roughness of obtained materials showed the differences between analyzed samples. The analysis of cell adhesion, proliferation and morphology showed that the polyurethane-polylactide blend was the most neutral for cells in culture, while in the pure polymer samples there were significant alterations observed. Our results indicated that polyurethane-polylactide blend is an optimal composition for culturing and delivery of glial and mesenchymal stem cells.

Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) modified graphene for reinforced biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocomposites

Poly(ε-caprolactone) was successfully reinforced with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) modified graphene nanosheets.

Robust poly(lactic acid) membranes improved by polysulfone-g-poly(lactic acid) copolymers for hemodialysis

A novel brush-like copolymer was synthesized to toughen and modify PLA membrane. Modified PLA membrane showed improved mechanical, thermal and filtration performances.

Toughening of amorphous poly(propylene carbonate) by rubbery CO2-based polyurethane: transition from brittle to ductile

CO₂-based polyurethane was synthesized to toughen poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), leading to a transition in the fracture behavior of PPC from brittle to ductile.

Balanced strength and ductility improvement of in situ crosslinked polylactide/poly(ethylene terephthalate glycol) blends

Polylactide/poly(ethylene terephthalate glycol) (PLA/PETG) blends with balanced strength and ductility improvement were achieved by crosslinking of PLA matrix and interfacial compatibilization via reactive melt blending.

Compatibilization strategies in poly(lactic acid)-based blends

Recent compatibilization strategies in poly(lactic acid)-based blends have been reviewed in this paper.

Supertough polylactide materials prepared through in situ reactive blending with PEG-based diacrylate monomer

Supertough biocompatible and biodegradable polylactide materials were fabricated by applying a novel and facile method involving reactive blending of polylactide (PLA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacylate (PEGDA) monomer with no addition of exogenous radical initiators. Torque analysis and FT-IR spectra confirm that cross-linking reaction of acylate groups occurs in the melt blending process according to the free radical polymerization mechanism. The results from differential scanning calorimetry, phase contrast optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicate that the in situ polymerization of PEGDA leads to a phase separated morphology with cross-linked PEGDA (CPEGDA) as the dispersed particle phase domains and PLA matrix as the continuous phase, which leads to increasing viscosity and elasticity with increasing CPEGDA content and a rheological percolation CPEGDA content of 15 wt %. Mechanical properties of the PLA materials are improved significantly, for example, exhibiting improvements by a factor of 20 in tensile toughness and a factor of 26 in notched Izod impact strength at the optimum CPEGDA content. The improvement of toughness in PLA/CPEGDA blends is ascribed to the jointly contributions of crazing and shear yielding during deformation. The toughening strategy in fabricating supertoughened PLA materials in this work is accomplished using biocompatible PEG-based polymer as the toughening modifier with no toxic radical initiators involved in the processing, which has a potential for biomedical applications.

Super-tough poly(l-lactide)/crosslinked polyurethane blends with tunable impact toughness

Super-tough poly(l-lactide)/crosslinked polyurethane (PLLA/CPU) blends with a CPU phase dispersed in the PLLA matrix were prepared by reactive blending of PLLA with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), glycerol, and 4,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI).

Towards high-performance poly(l-lactide)/elastomer blends with tunable interfacial adhesion and matrix crystallization via constructing stereocomplex crystallites at the interface

Preparing super-tough and heat-resistant PLLA/elastomer blends by constructing stereocomplex crystallites at the interface to simultaneously tailor interface and matrix properties.