Crystallization, Rheological and Thermal Properties of Stereocomplexed Polylactide After Thermal Induction

ABSTRACT Currently, stereocomplexation of poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) and poly(D‐lactide) (PDLA) is an effective method to improve heat resistance. However, existing studies mostly focus on the basic complexation mechanism, and the crystallization behavior and rheological properties of sc‐PLA after thermal induction are not clear. This research investigates the effects of thermal induction temperature on the crystalline structure and melting temperature of PLLA/PDLA blends. Additionally, the rheological properties of PLLA/PDLA blends thermal‐induced at different temperatures were measured, and rheological parameters such as the non‐Newtonian index, viscous flow activation energy, and structural viscosity index were analyzed. Studies have shown that with the increase in the content of sc microcrystals in the PLLA/PDLA blend, the non‐Newtonian index increases, while the activation energy of viscous flow and the structural viscosity index decrease, resulting in an improvement in the spinnability of the PLLA/PDLA blends. This work reveals the synergistic mechanism between crystallization and rheological properties under thermal induction regulation, providing a theoretical basis for the optimization of sc‐PLA processing technology.