Exciting new developments in polyolefin synthesis give rise to olefinic block copolymers with properties typical of thermoplastic elastomers. The blocky copolymers synthesized by chain shuttling technology consist of crystallizable ethylene-octene blocks with low comonomer content and high melting temperature (hard blocks), alternating with amorphous ethylene-octene blocks with high comonomer content and low glass transition temperature (soft blocks). This paper describes the materials science of these unique polymers as characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and tensile deformation. The crystallizable nature of the hard block and the crystalline morphologies are consistent with an average hard block length that is well in excess of 200 carbon atoms. The crystallizable blocks are long enough to form well-organized lamellar crystals with the orthorhombic unit cell and high melting temperature. The lamellae are organized into space-filling spherulites in all compositions even in copolymers with only 18 wt % hard block. The morphology is consistent with crystallization from a miscible melt. Crystallization of the hard blocks forces segregation of the noncrystallizable soft blocks into the interlamellar regions. Good separation of hard and soft blocks in the solid state is confirmed by distinct and separate β-and R-relaxations in all the blocky copolymers. Compared to statistical ethylene-octene copolymers, the blocky architecture imparts a substantially higher crystallization temperature, a higher melting temperature and a better organized crystalline morphology, while maintaining a lower glass transition temperature. The differences between blocky and statistical copolymers become progressively more apparent as the total comonomer content increases.
This study focuses on the use of bio-nanocomposite microspheres, consisting of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAp) nanospheres within a poly(L: -lactide) (PLLA) matrix, to produce tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds using a modified selective laser sintering (SLS) machine. PLLA microspheres and PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres were prepared by emulsion techniques. The resultant microspheres had a size range of 5-30 microm, suitable for the SLS process. Microstructural analyses revealed that the CHAp nanospheres were embedded throughout the PLLA microsphere, forming a nanocomposite structure. A custom-made miniature sintering platform was installed in a commercial Sinterstation((R)) 2000 SLS machine. This platform allowed the use of small quantities of biomaterials for TE scaffold production. The effects of laser power; scan spacing and part bed temperature were investigated and optimized. Finally, porous scaffolds were successfully fabricated from the PLLA microspheres and PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres. In particular, the PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres appeared to be promising for porous bone TE scaffold production using the SLS technique.
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