Readily Controllable Step-Growth Polymerization Method for Poly(lactic acid) Copolymers Having a High Glass Transition Temperature

Poly(lactic acid) stereocomplex microspheres as thermally tolerant optical resonators

Thermally tolerant polymer optical resonators are fabricated from a stereocomplex of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(D-lactic acid) through the oil-in-water miniemulsion method. The thermal stability of the microspheres of the stereocomplex poly(lactic acid) (SC-PLA) is superior to that of the homochiral poly(lactic acid) (HC-PLA). As a result of the high thermal stability, the optical resonator properties of the SC-PLA microspheres are preserved at an elevated temperature of up to 230 °C, which is 70 °C higher than that of microspheres formed from HC-PLA.

Dimensional accuracy of 3D printing navigation templates of chemical-based sterilisation

3D printed navigational templates have facilitated the accurate treatment of orthopaedic patients. However, during practical operation, it is found that the location hole occasionally deviates from the ideal channel. As such, there will be a security risk in clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of chemical-based sterilisation methods on the dimensional accuracy of different materials and the influence of module parameters on the degree of deformation. We found that polylactic (PLA) modules sterilised with ethylene oxide (EO) would undergo micro-deformation, and these micro-deformation characteristics depend on the building direction, i.e., the module stretches in the Z direction and shrinks in the X and Y directions. Heat-resisting polylactide (HR-PLA) has the same melting temperature (T_m) as PLA, but its glass transition temperature (T_g) is greater than the EO sterilisation temperature, so there is no obvious deformation after EO sterilisation. The layer height of the module were inversely proportional to the degree of deformation in the same sterilisation method. The deformation time of the module is concentrated within 2 h after heating. The micro-deformation of the 3D printing module depends on its T_g, sterilisation temperature, and duration of the sterilisation cycle.

Isosorbide as Core Component for Tailoring Biobased Unsaturated Polyester Thermosets for a Wide Structure-Property Window

Biobased unsaturated polyester thermosets as potential replacements for petroleum-based thermosets were designed. The target of incorporating rigid units, to yield thermosets with high thermal and mechanical performance, both in the biobased unsaturated polyester (UP) and reactive diluent (RD) while retaining miscibility was successfully achieved. The biobased unsaturated polyester thermosets were prepared by varying the content of isosorbide, 1,4-butanediol, maleic anhydride, and succinic anhydride in combination with the reactive diluent isosorbide-methacrylate (IM). Isosorbide was chosen as the main component in both the UP and the RD to enhance the rigidity of the formed thermosets, to overcome solubility issues commonly associated with biobased UPs and RDs and volatility and toxicity associated with styrene as RD. All UPs had good solubility in the RD and the viscosity of the mixtures was primarily tuned by the feed ratio of isosorbide but also by the amount of maleic anhydride. The flexural modulus and storage modulus were tailorable by altering the monomer composition The fabricated thermosets had superior thermal and mechanical properties compared to most biobased UP thermosets with thermal stability up to about 250 °C and a storage modulus at 25 °C varying between 0.5 and 3.0 GPa. These values are close to commercial petroleum-based UP thermosets. The designed tailorable biobased thermosets are, thus, promising candidates to replace their petroleum analogs.

A designed synthetic strategy toward poly(isosorbide terephthalate) copolymers: a combination of temporary modification, transesterification, cyclization and polycondensation

After a combination of temporary modification, transesterification, cyclization and polycondensation, a series of high-M_n and high-T_g poly(isosorbide terephthalate) copolymers were synthesized.

RAFT polymerization of bio-based 1-vinyl-4-dianhydrohexitol-1,2,3-triazole stereoisomers obtained via click chemistry

Four 1-vinyl-4-dianhydrohexitol-1,2,3-triazole stereoisomers are prepared from isomannide, isoidide, and isosorbide using an alkylation/CuAAC-ligation/elimination three-step strategy. After characterization of the monomers by NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), the corresponding stereocontrolled poly(1-vinyl-4-dianhydrohexitol-1,2,3-triazole)s are obtained by RAFT polymerization using a xanthate chain transfer agent. A systematic investigation of the structure-properties relationship of both the monomers and polymers highlights the significant impact of the dianhydrohexitols stereochemistry on their physical properties (1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts, physical state, Tg, thermal stability and solubility). A particularly original and unexpected behavior is highlighted since the two different isosorbide-based poly(1-vinyl-4-dianhydrohexitol-1,2,3-triazole) stereoisomers exhibit contrasting solubility in water.

1,4:3,6-Dianhydrohexitols: Original platform for the design of biobased polymers using robust, efficient, and orthogonal chemistry

1,4:3,6-Dianhydrohexitols (DAHs) are nontoxic and sustainable diols that have been extensively applied as monomers for the preparation of polymer materials by step-growth polymerization processes. The presence of two reactive alcohol groups was exploited to design a library of symmetric and asymmetric stereocontrolled alkyne- and/or azide-functionalized AA/BB and AB monomers suitable for thermal or copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (TAAC and CuAAC). Step-growth polymerization of these monomers yielded a series of linear polytriazoles as well as partially biosourced networks using a combination of AB + A2B2 derivatives. Characterization of the resulting materials allowed for the establishment of a thorough structure–property relationship emphasizing the impact of monomer stereochemistry and cycloaddition regioselectivity on materials properties.