Silver/polylactide nanocomposites (Ag/PLA-NCs) were synthesized via chemical reduction method in diphase solvent. Silver nitrate and sodium borohydride were used as a silver precursor and reducing agent in the polylactide (PLA). The properties of Ag/PLA-NCs were studied as a function of the weight percentages of silver nanoparticles (8, 16 and 32 wt% of Ag-NPs) relative to the weight of PLA. Th...

Paclitaxel, a polyol chemotherapeutic agent, was covalently conjugated through its 2'-OH to polylactide with 100% regioselectivity via controlled polymerization of lactide mediated by paclitaxel/(BDI-II)ZnN(TMS)(2) (BDI-II = 2-((2,6-diisopropylphenyl)amino)-4-((2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino)-2-pentene). The steric bulk of the substituents on the N-aryl groups of the BDI ligand drastically affecte...

Nanofibers were prepared from polycaprolactone, polylactide and polyvinyl alcohol using Nanospider(TM) technology. Polyethylene glycols with molecular weights of 2 000, 6 000, 10 000 and 20 000 g/mol, which can be used to moderate the release profile of incorporated pharmacologically active compounds, served as model molecules. They were terminated by aromatic isocyanate and incorporated into t...

We developed a paper coating for the potential application in food packaging based on polylactide and montmorillonite. It is applied to the paper in the form of a stable, water-based latex with a solid content of 25–28 wt %. The latex is prepared from a commercially available polylactide, surfactants, montmorillonite, a plasticizer, chloroform (to be removed later) and water by an emulsion/solv...

Group 4 metal initiators with a tetradentate bis(phenolato) ligand polymerized meso-lactide efficiently under ring-opening to give syndiotactic polylactide. L-Lactide was converted faster than rac-lactide and meso-lactide.

Indium trichloride, benzyl alcohol, and triethylamine (without an added 'directing' multidentate ligand) generate a catalyst in situ for the room temperature polymerization of D,L-lactide affording highly heterotactic polylactide of controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution.

A new class of clickable and biodegradable polylactide was designed and prepared via bulk polymerization of 3,6-dipropargyloxymethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (1) which was synthesized from easily accessible propargyloxylactic acid (5). A homopolymer of 1 and random copolymer of 1 with l-lactide were obtained as amorphous materials and exhibit low Tg of 8.5 and 34 °C, respectively, indicating their...

Bioabsorbable implants offer an attractive alternative to metallic implants to stabilize small bone fractures in the hand. Self-reinforced bioabsorbable miniplating for metacarpal fractures was studied in bones from cadavers and compared with standard metallic fixation methods. One hundred twelve fresh-frozen metacarpals from humans had three-point bending and torsional loading after transverse...

Under solvent-free conditions (at 130 degrees C), zirconium and hafnium amine tris(phenolate) alkoxides are extremely active, well-controlled, single-site initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide, yielding highly heterotactic polylactide.