Stereocomplex formation in AB DI‐block copolymers of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (a) and poly(lactide)(B)

Abstract

Abstract The thermal properties of two series of AB di‐block copolymers of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (A) and poly(lactide) (B) and their blends were studied. Each series contained poly(lactide) blocks of opposite chirality. The length of the poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) blocks was not varied (DP = 70), whereas the poly(lactide) blocks were of varying length (DP = 5 − 80). Blends of polymers containing blocks of opposite chirality were prepared by mixing in solution. The melting temperature of the PLA phase was raised by approximately 55 °C in the blends due to stereocomplex formation. The melting temperatures of the crystalline PCL and PLA phases strongly depended on the composition of the block copolymers.