Versatile synthesis of comb-shaped poly(lactic acid) copolymers with poly(acrylic acid)-based backbones and carboxylic acid end groups

This paper focuses on preparing and characterizing nonlinear, highly carboxylic-functionalized poly(lactic acid) copolymer prepared through a reaction between poly(acrylic acid) and lactic acid. The resultant copolymer exhibits a comb architecture, in which poly(acrylic) acid creates the backbone and poly(lactic acid) its side arms. Thorough analysis was conducted on the molecular weight of polymers by gel permeation chromatography through triple detection of light-scattering and viscometry. Each copolymer property was studied in detail. Finally, cytotoxicity assay was also performed. Results showed that comb and multi-comb macromolecular architectures co-existed in the sample and that their size and amount are easily tuneable by ratio of the initial reactant.