Renewable resource polymeric materials offer a vast and well defined area to generate an enormous amount of research and interest focusing primarily on replacing the diminishing petrochemical resources used today for commodity plastic applications. Specifically, Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has been noted as one of the highest potential renewable resource polymers derived from biomass production; it is employed as a substitute for cheap, synthetic bulk polymers derived from non-renewable, oil based chemicals such as polyethylene and polystyrene. Polylactides (PLA) are biodegradable linear polyesters produced by the fermentation of corn and are synthesized in large scale using renewable resource technologies. However, the properties of PLA are not optimal to facilitate broad market entry into commodity applications.

Our research thrusts involve the discovery of new strategies to improve the properties of renewable based materials for broad market impact and concurrent renewable feedstock price depression. Here, we will discuss the synthesis and characterization of a variety of lactide and PLA based materials prepared through ring opening polymerization, transesterification and blending techniques. In particular, this talk will include but is not limited to: copolymerization of lactide with commercial perfluoropolyether diols (supplied by Solvay Solexis) toward perfluoropolyether-block-PLA (FluoroPLA) polymers for fiber applications, copolymerization of lactide with biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) suited for bioengineering applications, and development of novel PLA materials embedded with molecular recognition supramolecules towards analyte detection such as bacteria and ions.