Synthesis and properties of biodegradable chitin-graft-poly(L-lactide) copolymers

In this study, novel biodegradable polymers were synthesized by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide on chitin in an N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc)/lithium chloride (LiCl) solvent system, and chitin was used as macroinitiator to afford new materials. Lithium chloride (LiCl) was used as catalyst. The synthesized copolymers [chitin-graft-poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)] were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to confirm the newly formed ester bond. From the FTIR spectra, the peak intensity of ester bond in the chitin-graft-PLLA copolymers increased in comparison to that of L-lactide monomer. Therefore, it was confirmed that PLLA was successfully grafted on to chitin. Also, cross polarization-magic angle spinning (CPmMAS), C-13 solid state NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize novel chitingraft-PLLA copolymers. (C) 2002 Society of Chemical Industry.