New emerging trends in synthetic biodegradable polymers - Polylactide: A critique

Polylactide (PLA), the biodegradable synthetic aliphatic polyester, has been studied extensively for a number of applications. With potential applications PLA represents its prospective utility in a number of growing technologies such as orthopedics, drug delivery, sutures, and scaffolds, and have further enhanced the interest of researchers in this novel area. Renewable resource generated monomers possess better mechanical properties and easy processability by conventional methods like thermoforming, injection, and blow molding with non-toxic degradation products, which have made it superior than the other conventional thermoplastics. In order to meet the different performance requirements, PLA can be synthesised by various methods using different catalysts. In this review a collection of more than 100 catalysts for the synthesis of PLA are mentioned, apart from this, efforts have been made to present an updated review on the various aspects of polylactide. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.