(L-Lactic Acid) Films

The poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) has potential medical usage such as drug delivery since it can degrade into bioabsorbable products in physiological environments, while the degra-dation is affected by its crystallites. In this paper, the effects of film formation method and annealing on the crystallites formed in PLLA films are investigated. The films are made through solvent casting and spin coating, and subsequent annealing is conducted. The resulting morphology, molecular order, conformation, and intermolecular interac-tion are examined using optical microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and Fourie