Sizing down and functionalizing polylactide (PLA) resin for synthesis of PLA-based polyurethanes for use in biomedical applications.

Alcoholysis is a promising approach for upcycling postconsumer polylactide (PLA) products into valuable constituents. In addition, an alcohol-acidolysis of PLA by multifunctional 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (DMPA) produces lactate oligomers with hydroxyl and carboxylic acid terminals. In this work, a process for sizing down commercial PLA resin to optimum medium-sized lactate oligomers is developed at a lower cost than a bottom-up synthesis from its monomer.

Polyester-based polyurethanes derived from alcoholysis of polylactide as toughening agents for blends with shape-memory properties.

A process for sizing down and functionalizing commercial polylactide (PLA) resin is developed by alcoholysis with 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and propylene glycol (PG) to medium-sized PLA-based diols, with lower cost than a bottom-up synthesis process. These are subsequently used as polyols in preparing polyurethanes (PU) by reacting with 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (HDI). The PLA-based PU has an excellent elongation at break of 487%.