Nano Express
Nanostructured morphology of a random P(DLLA-co-CL) copolymer
Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros, ICTP-CSIC, Juan de la Cierva, 3 Madrid 28006, Spain
Nanoscale Research Letters 2012, 7:103 doi:10.1186/1556-276X-7-103
Published: 5 February 2012Abstract
The random architecture of a commercial copolymer of poly(DL-lactic acid) and poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(DL-lactide-co-caprolactone), has been characterized by chemical structure analysis from hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance results. Moreover, spherical nanodomains have been detected in the thin films of this copolymer obtained after solvent evaporation. These nanodomains studied by atomic force microscopy and transmission elecron microscopy grow progressively under annealing until they collapse and form a homogenous disordered structure. This is the first time that the nanostructure of random poly(DL-lactic acid)/poly-(ε-caprolactone) copolymers is revealed, representing one of few experimental evidences on the possible nanostructuration of random copolymers.
