Synthesis of Ultra-high Weight Average Molecular Mass of Poly-L-lactide

High purity in high yield L-lactide was prepared using a new purification method, and poly-L-lactide (PLLA) with ultra-high weight average molecular mass and narrow polydispersity index was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization. The effects of the purification method on the purity and yield of L-lactide were investigated, and the influences of initiator concentration, polymerization temperature and polymerization time on the weight average molecular mass of PLLA were also studied. A synthetic purification method involving a water bath and two times recrystallization could improve the purity of L-lactide to 100%. The yield of L-lactide reached 40.6% and increased 12.1% compared with the recrystallization method. Poly-L-lactide with a weight average molecular mass of about 102.4 x 10(4) and a polydispersity index of 1.16 was obtained when polymerization was conducted with molar ratio of monomer to initiator ([M]=[I]) of 12000 for 24 h at 140 degrees C.