Synthesis of L-lactide Through Reactive Distillation and Production of Poly (l-lactic Acid) (plla)

Abstract

The aim of this work is focused on the L-lactide (LLT), a cyclic ester, an intermediate product in the synthesis of Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) by polycondensation reaction from L-lactic acid; a monomer that allows synthesizing PLLA with high molar mass. The great potential of this material has been noted, as the achievement of great purity and good control of its physic-chemical characteristics allows polymeric synthesis under favorable conditions in terms of biodegradability and biocompatibility. The lack of technologies and knowledge for the synthesis of LLT has led to the study of the monomer and in particular synthesis through the way of direct polycondensation and reactive distillation, which have PLLA as a final product. The L-lactide obtained by polycondensation reaction was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is planned to continue studying a viable LLT production route, taking into account the increased interest in the market, in a single step to increase process productivity, selectivity for the product of interest, and optimization of the synthesis process of this product, completing the polymerization and processing path of the PLLA to validate the quality of the product obtained.