Physical properties
Poly(L-lactide) is a polymorphic material which has three forms of crystalline structure: α, β and γ. Poly(L-lactide) was found that a polymorphic material with a different form of crystalline structure exhibits different physical properties. Poly(L-lactide) has a low crystallization rate, compared to other thermoplastics, and it is rather easy to define the processing conditions to obtain Poly(L-lactide) products with a wide range of degree of crystallinity.
Uses
Poly(L-lactide) is a biodegradable polymer for medical device and pharmaceutical applications. It is used to fabricate resorbable medical devices that degrade over months in physiological conditions. Due to their history, polylactides are one of the easiest and most affordable biodegradable polymers for medical devices.
Chemical Properties
White powder
Uses
PLLA can be used as a resorbable implant material for potential usage in biomedical applications. It can also be used in the formation of composite ceramic material for biological applications.
Uses
Drug Delivery including coating nanoparticles; end-group functionalization; macroinitiator or block precursor.
Definition
ChEBI: Lactide is a member of dioxanes.
General Description
Poly (L-lactide) is a semi-crystalline polymer which exhibits strong optical rotation and good mechanical properties. It is mostly used in the synthesis of degradable polymers which are used in orthopaedic devices, in dental applications, as scaffolds for autografted new skin, wound covers, anastomose systems and stents. They are biodegradable since the polyester backbone degrades by simple hydrolysis to form non-toxic compounds.
