PLA from PolySciTech used in fundamental study on polymer solubility

Hansen solubility parameters have been used for decades to determine polymer solubility. In most cases, these parameters, based on the various solvent-polymer attraction forces, do provide for prediction of polymer solubility in a given solvent. However, there are instances where the polymers do not interact with solvents in a way predicted by these parameters and understanding the cause of these differences requires more fundamental research. Recently, researchers at The National Center for Scientific Research (France) Used PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) poly(lactides) of two different molecular weights (PolyVivo AP086 and AP114) along with PMMA and PS and a wide variety of solvents to perform an in-depth study on solvent-polymer interaction looking at both solubility and swelling. This research holds promise for a more fundamental understanding of polymers and solvents which can be applied to a wide range of applications both medical and industrial. Read more: Vayer, Marylène, Alexane Vital, and Christophe Sinturel. "New insights into polymer-solvent affinity in thin films." European Polymer Journal (2017). http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014305716316512

“Abstract: Polymer-solvent affinity, estimated from the Hansen solubility parameters (HSP), was compared to experimental results of dissolution and swelling of polymer prepared in the specific form of thin film. This was carried out for 3 common polymers (PS, PLA, PMMA) and a series of 16 polar and non-polar solvents. The affinity properties predicted from the calculation of the relative energy distance (RED) values of most of the studied solvent/polymer pairs were in relative good agreement with the dissolution tests performed on the film. In contrast, no clear correlation between the RED and the swelling behavior was found. The observed deviations were attributed to the inability of the HSP theory derived from data acquired in polymer solutions to be extrapolated to the particular case of swollen polymer film. Highlights: Polymer/solvent affinity was estimated using Hansen solubility parameters. Polymer-solvent affinity was evaluated using swelling of polymer thin films. Three polymers PS, PLA and PMMA and 16 solvents were tested. Discrepancies between estimation and experimental results were highlighted. Keywords: polymer thin film; Hansen solubility parameters; swelling; polymer-solvent affinity.”