High-throughput method for determining modulus of polymer blends

A method for rapidly determining the modulus of polymer blends was developed. A polymer blend gradient library of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) was created in the form of a strip-shaped film and characterized with FTIR microspectroscopy. Nanoindentation measurements were made along the gradients to obtain modulus data over a wide range of PLLA-PDLLA blend compositions. This novel, high-throughput approach to material characterization provides engineers with a technique to accelerate the development of materials.