Project Details:
Terminology relevant to lactic acid-based polymers: synthesis, structure, properties, applications and degradation
| Project No.: | 2012-042-1-400 |
| Start date: | 2013-03-01 |
| End date: | 0000-00-00 |
| Division: | Polymer Division |
Lactic acid-based polymers are gaining a particular place in the field of new polymers that are of interest with respect to: i) desired degradability, ii) the concepts of renewable resources and sustainability (lactic acid is produced from natural products and biochemically processed back to natural products), iii) versatility related to outstanding possibilities for diversification of the backbone through stereocopolymerization, copolymerization or both. The aim of this project is to distinguish clearly: the various polymerization routes; the resultant macromolecular structures; the influence of chain ends known to play an important role in polymer degradation; and the effects of impurities on structure-property relationships via terminology.
The first stage of the project will be aimed at bringing the group members to a common level of familiarity and agreement as to the subtleties of the synthesis and the structural and degradative properties of these special polymers.
From thereon, a first list of terms to be precisely defined will be generated. At the first annual meeting of the Subcommittee on Polymer Terminology (SPT) after the project has started, a first draft of definitions will be submitted by the task group for general discussion, comments and criticisms from less informed people as a means to check that the suggested definitions are clear, understandable and profitable to the reader in distinguishing the differences between the full range of polymeric compounds often referred to as polylactide or poly(lactic acid) and abbreviated as PLA.
The document will be improved via successive exchanges between the task group members and between SPT members. When a comprehensive draft is completed, it will be submitted to selected potential users as approved by SPT for evaluation of its clarity and impact on future beneficiaries. The finalized document will be submitted for publication in PAC.
The work will be conducted in full consultation with existing task groups handling more general projects on stereochemistry and on abbreviations of polymer names.