Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Shimogamo, Sakyoku, Kyoto 606‐8522, Japan
Abstract:
Biodegradable and photocurable block copolymers of ε‐caprolactone and L ‐lactide were synthesized by polycondensation of PLLA diol ( = 10 000 g · mol?1), PCL diol ( = 10 000 g · mol?1), and a chain extender bearing a coumarin group. The effect of copolymer composition on the thermal and mechanical properties of the photocured copolymers was studied by means of DSC and cyclic tensile tests. An increase in Young's modulus and a decrease in the tensile strain with increasing PLLA content was observed for the block copolymers. Block copolymers with high PCL content showed good to excellent shape‐memory properties. Random copolymers exhibited Rf and Rr values above 90% at 45 °C for an extremely large tensile strain of 1 000%.