Poly(L‑lactide) (PLLA, MW 100‑180K) is ultra‑high‑molecular‑weight semi‑crystalline biodegradable aliphatic polyester obtained by ring‑opening polymerization of high‑purity L‑lactide. Highly regular isotactic L‑lactide chain configuration promotes high crystallinity, which is fundamentally different from fully amorphous PDLLA. This ultra‑high‑MW PLLA delivers superior tensile strength, ultra‑high modulus and outstanding melt‑processing performance. It follows typical two‑phase hydrolytic degradation: amorphous regions degrade preferentially, while dense crystalline domains drastically retard bulk hydrolysis, leading to much longer in‑vivo degradation cycle compared with PDLLA of equivalent molecular weight. Degradation produces endogenous L‑lactic acid that can be metabolized and eliminated by organism with excellent biocompatibility. It is widely used for load‑bearing orthopedic implant prototypes, rigid thick‑wall tissue‑engineering scaffolds, high‑performance electrospun membranes, long‑term implant‑type drug‑delivery systems in advanced biomedical research.
Key Features
- MW: 100000‑180000 Da, semi‑crystalline poly(L‑lactide); Tg ≈58‑66 °C, Tm ≈171‑181 °C
- Semi‑crystalline microstructure; amorphous domains undergo preferential hydrolysis, dense crystalline fractions suppress overall degradation rate; degrades far slower than equal‑MW PDLLA
- Ultra‑high tensile strength and modulus; compatible with hot‑press molding, extrusion, injection molding, electrospinning, solvent casting and fabrication of load‑bearing implant devices
- Excellent biocompatibility; degradation metabolite is endogenous L‑lactic acid
- Soluble in DCM, CHCl₃, THF, DMF; sparingly soluble in hot toluene; insoluble in water, short‑chain alcohols and aliphatic alkanes
- Highly hygroscopic polymer; ester bonds are extremely sensitive to moisture‑triggered hydrolysis; strict full‑process moisture‑proof operation and storage are mandatory
Applications
- Matrix material for ultra‑high‑strength PLLA implant depots for multi‑year sustained‑release of small‑molecule drugs, peptides and biological macromolecules
- Raw polymer for load‑bearing rigid porous scaffolds and heavy‑duty thick electrospun membranes for bone‑repair and long‑cycle tissue‑engineering research
- Prepolymer feedstock for synthesis of ultra‑high‑molecular‑weight end‑functionalized PLLA derivatives
- Research‑grade raw material for developing high‑strength absorbable orthopedic‑relevant implant biomaterials
Handling & Storage
- Store at −20 °C under dry sealed condition; strictly moisture‑proof; avoid violent temperature‑humidity fluctuations
- Fully equilibrate container to ambient temperature before opening package to prevent condensation‑water contamination
- Hermetically seal immediately after partial sampling; repeated freeze‑thaw cycles are strictly prohibited
- For research‑only use; not intended for direct clinical or diagnostic applications
AxisPharm offers 5000+ PEG Linkers with high purity. Different kinds of PEG Reagents may be available by custom synthesis.