Enhanced Crystallization Rate of Poly(L-lactide)/Hydroxyapatite-graftpoly(D-lactide) Composite with Different Processing Temperatures

Hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(D-lactide)(HA-g-PDLA)was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization with HA as initiator and stannous octanoate(Sn(Oct)2)as catalyst.Thermogravimetric analysis(TGA)and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FUR)results indicate that PDLA chains are successfully grafted onto HA particles by covalent bond.Under two different processing temperatures(190 and 230℃),the effect of the grafted PDLA chains on the crystallization behavior of poly(L-lactide)/HA-g-PDLA(PLLA/HA-g-PDLA)composite was investigated in the current study,comparing to neat PLLA and its four composites(PLLA/HA,PLLA/HA-g-PLLA,PLLA/PDLA,and PLLA/HA/PDLA).The crystallization rate of PLLA/HA-g-PDLA composite is highly enhanced comparing to PLLA,PLLA/HA and PLLA/HA-g-PLLA composites in which there are no stereocomplex(SC)crystallites.In addition,when the processing temperature rises from 190℃ to 230℃,the acceleration of PLLA crystallization in PLLA/HA-g-PDLA composite is not influenced so much as other composites containing SC crystallites,such as PLLA/HA/PDLA or PLLA/PDLA.The differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)results demonstrate that even without SC crystallites,the crystallization of PLLA can still be accelerated a lot in this composite.This may be related to the interaction between the grafted PDLA chains and the amorphous PLLA chains in PLLA/HA-g-PDLA composite.The isothermal crystallization kinetics studies indicate that the nature of nucleation and crystal growth of PLLA/HAg-PDLA composite are more likely 3D crystalline growth with heterogeneous nucleation mode,which are different from PLLA or other composites.This investigation could shed new light on the application of PLLA/HA composites.

Influence of Teflon Substrate on Crystallization and Enzymatic Degradation of Polymorphic Poly(butylene adipate)

Oriented and non-oriented Teflon films, which were found to have the same crystalline structure, but different surface morphologies, were used to sandwich poly（butylene adipate） （PBA） films during isothermal crystallization. It was found that both the Teflon surface structure and the PBA polymorphic structure are the determining factors to induce epitaxial crystallization. The oriented Teflon film was able to induce epitaxial crystallization of PBA α crystal, while the non-oriented Teflon did not induce any epitaxial crystallization of PBA. Epitaxial crystallization did not occurred for PBA β crystals between neither the oriented nor the non-oriented Teflon films. The enzymatic degradation rate of PBA films was not determined by the epitaxial crystallization, in fact it was still dependent on the polymorphic crystal structure of PBA. The morphological changes of PBA films after enzymatic degradation confirmed again that the epitaxial crystallization only occurred for the PBA film with α crystal structure which was produced by being sandwiched between oriented Teflon films, and it happened only on the surface of PBA films.

Correction to"Enhanced Crystallization Rate of Poly(L-lactide)/Hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(D-lactide)Composite with Different Processing Temperatures"

In the version of this Article originally published,Fig.7(f)was con fused with Fig.4(f).The corrected version of Fig.7 is provided below.This graphical amendment does not affect the analyses,and additional text corrections are not needed.