Z. Jedlinski et al., POLYMERIZATION OF LACTONES .17. SYNTHESIS OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL-L-LACTIDE BLOCK-COPOLYMERS, Die Makromolekulare Chemie, 194(6), 1993, pp. 1681-1689
The anionic polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of the sodium
poly(ethylene glycol)ate in tetrahydrofuran at 25-degrees-C yields ''t
ailored'' ABA triblock copolymers having the expected compositions and
molecular weights. During the polymerization, a slight racemization o
f L-lactide was observed. The water absorption experiments indicate th
at the introduction of the poly(ethylene glycol) block into the L-lact
ide polymer chain markedly increases its hydrophilicity. It was reveal
ed that the morphology and mechanical properties of block copolymers d
epend strongly on their composition and thermal treatment.