Continuous process for the manufacture of lactide and lactide polymers
US6326458A · kind A · utility
223Cited by
60References
17Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 4, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC08G63/06
- WIPO fieldMacromolecular chemistry, polymers
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for the continuous production of substantially purified lactide and lactide polymers from lactic acid or an ester of lactic acid including the steps of forming crude polylactic acid, preferably in the presence of a catalyst means in the case of the ester of lactic acid, to form a condensation reaction by-product and polylactic acid, and depolymerizing the polylactic acid in a lactide reactor to form crude lactide, followed by subsequent purification of the crude lactide in a distillation system. A purified lactide is then polymerized to form lactide polymers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.