Crystallization and Morphology of Triple Crystalline Polyethylene-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) PE-b-PEO-b-PCL Triblock Terpolymers

The morphology and crystallization behavior of two triblock terpolymers of polymethylene, equivalent to polyethylene (PE), poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), and poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) are studied: PE₂₂^7.1-b-PEO₄₆^15.1-b-PCL₃₂^10.4 (T1) and PE₃₇^9.5-b-PEO₃₄^8.8-b-PCL₂₉^7.6 (T2) (superscripts give number average molecular weights in kg/mol and subscripts composition in wt %). The three blocks are potentially crystallizable, and the triple crystalline nature of the samples is investigated. Polyhomologation (C1 polymerization), ring-opening polymerization, and catalyst-switch strategies were combined to synthesize the triblock terpolymers. In addition, the corresponding PE-b-PEO diblock copolymers and PE homopolymers were also analyzed. The crystallization sequence of the blocks was determined via three independent but complementary techniques: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), in situ SAXS/WAXS (small angle X-ray scattering/wide angle X-ray scattering), and polarized light optical microscopy (PLOM). The two terpolymers (T1 and T2) are weakly phase segregated in the melt according to SAXS. DSC and WAXS results demonstrate that in both triblock terpolymers the crystallization process starts with the PE block, continues with the PCL block, and ends with the PEO block. Hence triple crystalline materials are obtained. The crystallization of the PCL and the PEO block is coincident (i.e., it overlaps); however, WAXS and PLOM experiments can identify both transitions. In addition, PLOM shows a spherulitic morphology for the PE homopolymer and the T1 precursor diblock copolymer, while the other systems appear as non-spherulitic or microspherulitic at the last stage of the crystallization process. The complicated crystallization of tricrystalline triblock terpolymers can only be fully grasped when DSC, WAXS, and PLOM experiments are combined. This knowledge is fundamental to tailor the properties of these complex but fascinating materials.

Sequential Crystallization and Multicrystalline Morphology in PE-b-PEO-b-PCL-b-PLLA Tetrablock Quarterpolymers

We investigate for the first time the morphology and crystallization of two novel tetrablock quarterpolymers of polyethylene (PE), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), and poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) with four potentially crystallizable blocks: PE₁₈^7.1-b-PEO₃₇^15.1-b-PCL₂₆^10.4-b-PLLA₁₉^7.6 (Q1) and PE₂₉^9.5-b-PEO₂₆^8.8-b-PCL₂₃^7.6-b-PLLA₂₂^7.3 (Q2) (superscripts give number average molecular weights in kg/mol, and subscripts give the composition in wt %). Their synthesis was performed by a combination of polyhomologation (C1 polymerization) and ring-opening polymerization techniques using a ″catalyst-switch″ strategy, either ″organocatalyst/metal catalyst switch″ (Q1 sample, 96% isotactic tetrads) or ″organocatalyst/organocatalyst switch″ (Q2 sample, 84% isotactic tetrads). Their corresponding precursors—triblock terpolymers PE-b-PEO-b-PCL, diblock copolymers PE-b-PEO, and PE homopolymers—were also studied. Cooling and heating rates from the melt at 20 °C/min were employed for most experiments: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light optical microscopy (PLOM), in situ small-angle X-ray scattering/wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The direct comparison of the results obtained with these different techniques allows the precise identification of the crystallization sequence of the blocks upon cooling from the melt. SAXS indicated that Q1 is melt miscible, while Q2 is weakly segregated in the melt but breaks out during crystallization. According to WAXS and DSC results, the blocks follow a sequence as they crystallize: PLLA first, then PE, then PCL, and finally PEO in the case of the Q1 quarterpolymer; in Q2, the PLLA block is not able to crystallize due to its low isotacticity. Although the temperatures at which the PEO and PCL blocks and the PE and PLLA blocks crystallize overlap, the analysis of the intensity changes measured by WAXS and PLOM experiments allows identifying each of the crystallization processes. The quarterpolymer Q1 remarkably self-assembles during crystallization into tetracrystalline banded spherulites, where four types of different lamellae coexist. Nanostructural features arising upon sequential crystallization are found to have a relevant impact on the mechanical properties. Nanoindentation measurements show that storage modulus and hardness of the Q1 quarterpolymer significantly deviate from those of the stiff PE and PLLA blocks, approaching typical values of compliant PEO and PCL. Results are mainly attributed to the low crystallinity of the PE and PLLA blocks. Moreover, the Q2 copolymer exhibits inferior mechanical properties than Q1, and this can be related to the PE block within Q1 that has thinner crystal lamellae according to its much lower melting point.

Hydrolytic degradation of star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)s with different number of arms and their cytotoxic effects

Star-shaped polymers of biodegradable aliphatic polyester, poly( ε-caprolactone), PCL, with different number of arms (three, four, and six) were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization initiated by multifunctional alcohols used as cores. As potential biomaterials, synthesized star-shaped poly( ε-caprolactone)s, sPCL, were thoroughly characterized in terms of their degradation under different pH conditions and in respect to their cytotoxicity. The in vitro degradation was performed in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and hydrochloric acid solution (pH 1.0) over 5 weeks. Degradation of sPCL films was followed by the weight loss measurements, GPC, FTIR, and AFM analysis. While the most of the samples were stable against the abiotic hydrolysis at pH 7.4 after 5 weeks of degradation, degradation was significantly accelerated in the acidic medium. Degradation rate of polymer films was affected by the polymer architecture and molecular weight. The molecular weight profiles during the degradation revealed random chain scission of the ester bonds indicating bulk degradation mechanism of hydrolysis at pH 7.4, while acidic hydrolysis proceeded through the bulk degradation associated with surface erosion, confirmed by AFM. The in vitro toxicity tests, cytotoxicity applying normal human fibroblasts (MRC5) and embryotoxicity assessment (using zebra fish model, Danio rerio), suggested those polymeric materials as suitable for biomedical application.

Sequential crystallization and morphology of triple crystalline biodegradable PEO-b-PCL-b-PLLA triblock terpolymers

The sequential crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(l-lactide) (PEO-b-PCL-b-PLLA) triblock terpolymers, in which the three blocks are able to crystallize separately and sequentially from the melt, is presented.