Effect of Orotic Acid on the Crystallization Kinetics and Morphology of Biodegradable Poly(L-lactide) as an Efficient Nucleating Agent

The wider practical application of biodegradable and biocompatible poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) has been restricted because of many disadvantages, especially its relatively slow crystallization rate. In this note, a PLLA/orotic acid (OA) composite was prepared via a simple melt compounding method. It is found that both the nonisothermal melt crystallization and overall isothermal melt crystallization kinetics of PLLA have been enhanced significantly in the composite, even at very low OA content, relative to that of neat PLLA, indicating that OA is an efficient nucleating agent of PLLA for its wider practical application, especially as biomaterial.