![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) films were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light (254 nm) and water bath of 60°C and 80°C. The limiting viscosity ([η]) of PLLA decreased from initial 187.4 dl/g to 42.2 dl/g after UV irradiation, and to 33.3 dl/g after soaking in 80°C water for 40 h, while the [η] of PLLA exposed to 60°C water remained at 115.6 dl/g after 40 h. Compared with the original PLLA, the degraded PLLA was bimodal in the GPC profile. FTIR analysis showed that the chain scission of PLLA acted by water molecules resulted in a C=C structure.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50873067) and International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Projects of China (No. 2010DFA54460) for financial support to this research.