Synthesis of Janus POSS star polymer and exploring its compatibilization behavior for PLLA/PCL polymer blends

Publication date: 31 January 2018
Source:Polymer, Volume 136
Author(s): Di Han, Tian-jiao Wen, Ge Han, Yi-yi Deng, Yang Deng, Qin Zhang, Qiang Fu
Synthesis of hybrid hetero-arms star polymer with precisely defined arms distribution in three dimensional (3D) space is still a challenge. Herein, we have employed cubic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticle as a scaffold to synthesize a biodegradable Janus POSS star polymer (oom-T8PLLA5PCL3), which contains an inorganic rigid POSS core, three poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) arms and five poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) arms on the POSS cage two sides, respectively. The chemical structure of oom-T8PLLA5PCL3 was confirmed by NMR, SEC, and FTIR spectra. As an example of application for the Janus POSS star polymer, oom-T8PLLA5PCL3 was used for the compatibilization of biodegradable PLLA/PCL (w/w = 70/30) blends. It was found that oom-T8PLLA5PCL3 could reduce the dispersed PCL phase size in PLLA matrix and enhance the properties of PLLA/PCL polymer blends, which was reflected in the increase of Izod impact strength and tensile performance of the polymer blends.

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