%0 journal article
%@ 0391-3988
%A Yoba N’Goma, P., Radke, W., Malz, F., Ziegler, H.J., Zierke, M., Behl, M., Lendlein, A.

%D 2011
%J The International Journal of Artificial Organs
%N 2
%P 110-119 
%R doi:10.5301/IJAO.2011.6409
%T Characterization of multiblock copolymers by chromatographic techniques
%U https://doi.org/10.5301/IJAO.2011.6409
2 
%X Multiblock copolymers (MBC) composed of blocks of poly(1,4-dioxanone) (PPDO) and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) were investigated in order to gain information on the extend of chemical heterogeneity of the samples. A gradient chromatographic method was established allowing separation of purely PPDO- from purely PCL-containing chains. Application of the gradient to MBC made of PPDO- and PCL-diols connected by trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate (TMDI) resulted in two well separated peaks which were analyzed by means of FTIR, 1H-NMR and pyrolysis GC-MS. It was shown that the first peak was composed to a large extent of PPDO and only lower amounts of PCL were incorporated. Conversely, the second peak consisted predominantly of PCL with only a minor fraction of PPDO. Thus, the MBCs having PPDO and PCL segments show an unexpected broad chemical heterogeneity.