A novel use of Ti-POSS as initiator of L-lactide ring-opening polymerization

Orietta Monticelli, Dario Cavallo, Sergio Bocchini, Alberto Frache, Fabio Carniato, Alessandro Tonelotto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The efficacy of a metal-silsesquioxane, namely, heptaisobutyl (isopropoxyde)titanium-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (Ti-POSS), as initiator of the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide (LLA) has been assessed. Indeed, as demonstrated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1H NMR) spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements, a well-controlled polymerization occurs via a coordination- insertion mechanism. Moreover, the above reaction leads to the direct insertion of the silsesquioxane molecule into the polymer backbone, thus producing a hybrid system. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements demonstrated that in comparison with a commercial poly-L-lactide (PLLA), the polymers prepared with Ti-POSS exhibit a higher crystallinity. Indeed, the presence of silsesquioxane molecules, attached to one end of the polymer chains, has been found to appreciably affect the crystal nucleation density.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4794-4799
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry
Volume49
Issue number22
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Nov 2011

Keywords

  • M-POSS
  • PLA
  • ring-opening polymerization

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