Influence of the Rigid Amorphous Fraction and Crystallinity on Polylactide Transport Properties

The effects of the crystallinity and polymorphism of PLLA and PDLA–PLLA 50:50 blends on the free volume and transport properties have been studied. In the case of PDLA–PLLA 50:50 the increase on crystallinity promotes a process of densification and a reduction in free volume fraction and rigid amorphous fraction (RAF), contrary to PLLA in which the enlargement of a rigid amorphous fraction led to a dedensification. This result offers a unique opportunity to analyze separately the opposite influence in the transport properties of the crystallization and free volume associated with RAF. Overall, these findings provide a better understanding on the relationship between crystallinity and transport properties and would explain also the controversial data reported in the literature.