Micromechanical behavior related to the nanostructure of biodegradable polyesters

Abstract

The microhardness of a series of biodegradable polyesters was determined. The nanostructural features of these materials were studied by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and differential scanning calorimetry. Analysis of the SAXS and WAXS patterns allowed direct derivation of the degree of crystallinity and crystal thickness values, and correlations of the micromechanical properties are presented. The differences in the thermal and mechanical properties exhibited by the studied systems and the ones found in other aromatic polyesters are explained as due to the different chemical natures of the monomeric units.

Atomic force microscopy studies of poly(methyl methacrylate) doped with photoinitiator

“…Recently, the great progress has been done in the estimation of mechanical properties of polymers in micro‐ and nanoscale using indentation tests 11–15. The correlation between microhardness and structure was found for numerous polymeric systems.…”