Synthesis and Properties of Biodegradable ABA Triblock Copolymers of Polylactide (A) and Polyethylene Glycol (B)

Abstract

The triblock ABA copolymers of poly (D,L-lactide)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (D,L-lactide) (PDLLA-PEG-PDLLA) were synthesized by bulk ring-opening polymerization in the presence of N2 under normal pressure, using the D,L-lactide (DLLA) as monomer, hydroxyl endgroups of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as initiator and the stannous octoate as the catalyst. The resulting copolymers were characterized by various analytical techniques. Effects of molar ratios of lactide to PEG and the chain length of PEG on the viscosity-average molecular weight of the copolymers, the biodegradation behaviors and hydrophilicity of the copolymers were investigated in detail. The results showed that the viscosity-average molecular weight and the contact angle of the copolymers increased with the molar ratio of lactide to PEG, but water uptake and degradability decreased.