Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide)/polylactide/poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer

Abstract

Poly(ethylene oxide/polylactide/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO/PL/PEO) triblock copolymers, in which each block is connected by an ester bond, were synthesized by a coupling reaction between PL and PEO. Hydroxyl-terminated PLs with various molecular weights were synthesized and used as hard segments. Hydroxyl-terminated PEOs were converted to the corresponding acid halides via their acid group and used as a soft segment. Triblock copolymers were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, H-1 NMR, and gel permeation chromatography. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry of PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymers suggested that PL and PEO blocks were phase-separated and that the crystallization behavior of the PL block was markedly affected by the presence of the PEO block. PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymers with PEO 0.75k had two exothermic peaks (by DSC), and both peaks were related to the crystallization of PL. According to thermogravimetric analysis, PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymer showed a higher thermal stability than PL or PEO. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.