Growth of Monolayered Poly(l-lactide) Lamellar Crystals on a Substrate

Hydroxyl groups were introduced onto the surface of a silicon wafer by O$_2$ plasma treatment. Poly(l-lactide) (1-PLA) was attached onto the surface-modified silicon wafer by the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using the hydroxyl group as an initiator. Lamellar single crystals of 1-PLA were grown directly on the 1-PLA-attached silicon wafer from a 0.025% solution in acetonitrile at 5$^{\circ}C$. A well-separated, lozenge-shaped, monolayered lamellar single crystal was prepared because the 1-PLA-attached silicon wafer acts as an initial nucleus.