• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2009

This study investigates the metal adsorption properties of poly (lactic acid)-g-acrylic acid (PLA-g- AAc) synthesized by UV irradiation method. The properties including degree of grafting, water content, and ion exchange capacity (IC) strongly depend on the critical experimental factors such as UV intensity and AAc concentration. Under the optimized condition, the maximum degree of grafting, the IC value, and water content are 28%, 1.13 meq/g, and 38%, respectively. The synthesized ion exchanger shows strong capacity of adsorption for divalent metal ions such as $Cu^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, and $Co^{2+}$, and greater selectivity of adsorption for $Cu^{2+}$.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 2007

Biodegradable polymeric blends are expected to be widely used by industry due to their environmental friendliness and comparable mechanical and thermal properties. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) are such biodegradable polymers which aim to replace commodity polymers in future applications. Since cost and brittleness of PLA is quite high, it is not economically feasible to use it alone for day to day use as a packaging material without blending. In this study, blends of PLA and PBS with various compositions were prepared by using a laboratory-scale twin-screw extruder at $180^{\circ}C$. Morphological, thermal, rheological and mechanical properties were investigated on the samples obtained by compression molding to explore suitability of these compositions for packaging applications. Morphology of the blends was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Morphology showed a clear phase difference trend depending on blend composition. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) thermograms of the blends indicated that the glass transition temperature ($T_g$) of PLA did not change much with the addition of PBS, but analysis showed that for PLA/PBS blend of up to 80/20 composition there is partial miscibility between the two polymers. The tensile strength and modulus were measured by the Instron Universal Testing Machine. Tensile strength, modulus and percentage (%) elongation at break of the blends decreased with PBS content. However, tensile strength and modulus values of PLA/PBS blend for up to 80/20 composition nearly follow the mixing rule. Rheological results also show miscibility between the two polymers for PBS composition less than 20% by weight. PBS reduced the brittleness of PLA, thus making it a contender to replace plastics for packaging applications. This work found a partial miscibility between PBS and PLA by investigating thermal, mechanical and morphological properties.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.175-184
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• 2006

Poly(D,L-lacic acid)(PLA) microshperes containing loazepam were prepared by a solvent-emulsion evaporation method and their release patterns were investigated in vitro. Various batches of microspheres with different size and drug content were obtained by changing the ratio of lorazepam to PLA, PLA concentration in the dispersed phase and stirring rate. Rod-like lorazepam crystals on microsphere surface, which were released rapidly and could act as a loading dose, were observed with increasing drug content. The release rate was increased with increase in drug contents and decrease in the molecular weight of PLA. The release rate of lorazepam for long-acting injectable delivery system in vitro, which would aid in Predicting in vivo release Profile, could be controlled by properly optimizing various factors affecting characteristics of microspheres.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.124-130
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• 2008

In order to fabricate a modified poly (lactic acid) (PLA) for applications requiring high melt strength, a PLA has been irradiated in the presence of functional monomer of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). Samples were prepared with various contents of GMA and irradiation dosages, and were characterized by observing their thermal and melt viscoelastic properties and gel faction. The complex viscosity and storage modulus of the modified PLA without GMA were lower than those of the original PLA. Those of the modified PLA decreased with increasing dosage. In the case of the modified PLA containing 0.1 phr or 0.3 phr of GMA, their changing tendency with dosage was similar to the irradiated PLA without GMA. However, the 5 kGy irradiated PLA containing 0.5 phr of GMA showed the greatly enhanced complex viscosity and storage modulus, which were about 3 and 10 times higher than those of the original PLA at a frequency of 0.1 rad/s, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.67-70
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• 1998

지방족 폴리에스테르계 고분자인 Poly(lactic acid)(PLA)는 생분해성, 생체적합성, 분해물의 비독성, 가공성 등이 우수하여 부러진 뼈의 접합 재료, 약물 조절 방출 재료 및 흡수성 봉합사 등과 같은 의료용 소재로 널리 이용되고 있다[1]. 그러나 PLA는 높은 결정화도로 인해 물성이 brittle하고 분해속도가 느릴 뿐만 아니라 낮은 열 안정성으로 인해 용융 가공할 경우 급격한 분자량의 감소를 유발하여 기계적 특성이 좋지 않은 단점이 있다.(중략)

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2003

PLA/LPCL/HPCL blends composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), low molecular weight poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (LPCL), and high molecular weight poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (HPCL) were prepared by melt blending for bioabsorbable fila-ment sutures. The effects of blend composition and blending time on the ester interchange reaction by alcoholysis in the PLA/LPCL/HPCL blends were studied. Their thermal properties and the miscibility due to the ester interchange reaction were investigated by $^1{H-NMR}$, DSC, X-ray, and UTM analyses. The hydroxyl group contents of LPCL in the blends decreafed by the ester interchange reaction due to alcoholysis. Thus, the copolymer was formed by the ester interchange reaction at $200^{\circ}C$ for 30-60 minutes. The thermal properties of PLA/LPCL/HPCL blends such as melting temperature and heat of fusion decreased with increasing ester interchange reaction levels. However, the miscibility among the three poly-mers was improved greatly by ester interchange reaction. Tensile strength and modulus of PLA/LPCL/HPCL blend fibers increased with increasing HPCL content, while the elongation at break of the blend fibers increased with increasing LPCL content.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.485-489
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• 2010

Poly(lactic acid)(PLA) has been modified by electron radiation in the presence of 5 phr glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) to enhance the melt strength of PLA. The modified PLA was prepared by varying the dose of irradiation and was characterized by observing the thermal properties, the melt viscoelastic properties and the gel fraction. The irradiated PLA with 300 kGy in the presence of 5 phr GMA showed drastically improved complex viscosity and storage modulus properties: a complex viscosity of about 210 times higher and a storage modulus of 14500 times higher than those of virgin PLA when measured at a frequency of 0.1 rad/s. Gel fraction study revealed that a branching reaction was more dominant than a crosslinking reaction when the PLA was irradiated with less than 200 kGy.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 2023

Poly-lactic acid (PLA) is the most promising polymer in additive manufacturing as an alternative to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Since it is produced from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugar beets, it is also biocompatible and biodegradable. However, PLA has a couple of issues that limit its use. First, it has a comparatively low glass transition temperature of around 60 ℃, such that it exhibits low thermal resistance. Second, PLA has low impact strength because it is brittle. Due to these problems, scientists have found methods to improve the crystallinity and ductility of PLA. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is one of the most studied plasticizers for PLA to give it chain mobility. However, the blend of PLA and PEG becomes unstable, and phase separation occurs even at room temperature as PEG is self-crystallized. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the optimal mixing ratio of PLA-PEG at the molecular scale. In this study, molecular dynamics will be conducted with various ratios of L-type PLA (PLLA) or DL-type PLA-PEG (PDLA-PEG) systems by using BIOVIA Materials Studio.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2007

This study investigated the effect of ultrasound irradiation on the blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). The blends of PLA/PBAT(50/50) (PBAT50) were prepared in a melt mixer with an ultrasonic device attached. Thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties, morphology, and biodegradability of the sonicated blends were analysed. The viscosity of the sonicated blends was increased by the ultrasound irradiation owing to the strong interaction. The morphology of the sonicated blends was significantly dependent on the duration o the ultrasound irradiation. For PBAT50, the phase size reduction was maximized when the blends were ultrasonically irradiated for 30 sec. At longer duration of ultrasound irradiation, the PBAT phase underwent flocculation. Measurement of the tensile properties showed an increased breakage tensile stress and an enhanced Young's modulus when the blends were properly irradiated. This improvement was ascribed to better adhesion between the PLA matrix and the PBAT domain and to better dispersion of the PBAT phase. However, the tensile properties were maximized after excessive energy irradiation, which was ascribed to an emulsifying effect leading to coalescence of the PBAT phase. Impact strength was increased to reach a peak with the ultrasound irradiation, and was higher than the untreated sample for all sonicated samples due to the difference of failure mechanism between the tensile test and the impact test.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.477-483
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• 2014

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PCL) blends with various components for melt-blown non-wovens were prepared by a twin-screw extruder. Tributyl citrate (TBC) was added in order to improve the miscibility between PLA and PCL. The results showed that small circular particles of PCL were dispersed in PLA matrix uniformly. The addition of PCL had the heterogeneous nucleation effect on the crystallization of PLA and decreased thermal stability of PLA. The flow of pure PLA and blends approached to Newtonian liquid at a low shear rate and expressed more obvious viscoelasticity at a high shear rate.