Marine-degradable polylactic acid†
Abstract
Polyesteracetal (PEA) copolymers of 1,3-dioxolan-4-one (DOX) with L-lactide (LA) were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Facile degradability in distilled water or seawater was observed—presumably via hydrolysis of the main-chain acetal functionality. Over 45 days, mass loss approached 2% and molecular weight loss (Mn) exceeded 15%; control experiments with polylactic acid (PLA) indicated no degradation.