Chain End Modification of Polylactide Biomaterials and Investigation of Their Polymer-Polymer Interaction

Abstract

Polylactides, which were synthesized by renewable sources, can be used as environmental and biomedical materials because they are biodegradable and -absorbable. However, they have low thermal and mechanical strength, and lack specific functionalities. It is known that the stereocomplex formation of polylactides improve their thermal stability and mechanical strength. In this review, we use chain end modification for additional functionalization. We achieved high thermal stability, antibacterial properties, and dynamic interaction functionality. Additionally, we also investigated the selective adhesion by stereocomplex formation due to polymer-polymer interaction with interfacial main chains of polylactide.