Degradable Oligolactide Terminated PTMG Based Polyurethanes

Lactide oligomer with number averagae molecular weight of 460 was synthesized and reacted with poly(oxyteramethylene)glycol(PTMG, Mn = 650) to obtain oligolactide oligomer-terminated PTMG. Polyurethanes were synthesized from the oligolactide-terminated PTMG, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and 1,4-butanediol. The mechanical and thermal properties of the polyurethanes and PTMG based polyurethane as control were measured by means of DSC and tensile tester. Degradation behavior of these polyurethanes put into a compost was evaluated by variation of mechanical properties, surface state, and weight loss. Modulus and weight significantly decreased with increasing time. The surface of the oligolactide polyurethane put into the compost during 6 weeks had a number of voids. On the other hand, These properties of the PTMG based polyurethane as control did not change. These results suggest that the novel polyurethanes incorporated oligolactide easily degrade under biodegradable condition.