Development of next-generation lactide-polymerization catalysts suitable for chemical recycle system of poly(lactic acid)

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25410127
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Polymer chemistry
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Nomura Nobuyoshi 名古屋大学, 生命農学研究科, 准教授 (70291408)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OISHI Masataka 東京工業大学, 理工学研究科, 助教 (20376940)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ポリ乳酸 / 植物由来 / 重合触媒 / プラスチック / ケミカルリサイクル / 結晶性 / カーボンニュートラル / 生分解性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A great interest has been given to the plastic derived from plants due to concerns on our environment. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is now commercially available and is applied to various use. However, one of issues is that the properties of PLA are highly dependent on the optical purity of lactic acid.
The aim of the research is to develop catalysts that can polymerize lactide with any level of optical purity and to synthesize PLA that indicates the melting temperature around/over 170 degrees C comparable to that of commercially available and optically pure poly(L-lactic acid). Such catalysts can be utilized for the synthesis of crystalline poly(lactic acid) in the chemical recycle system, in which the optical purity of lactic acid is easily reduced. After extensive experiments, we succeeded in development of the polymerization system using iso-selective achiral catalyst that afforded the crystalline poly(lactic acid) with the melting temperature at 167 ~ 209 degrees C.

Free Research Field

高分子合成