Review: Crystallization of Biodegradable Polymers

Understanding the crystallization behavior of polymer is significant both theoretically and practically as it decides the microscopic structure of polymer and determines final physical properties of the product. This article provides deep insight into the process of crystallization by exploring various models proposed for crystallization, factors determining crystallization, thermodynamics and kinetics in detail. The correlation of crystallinity with various properties is also discussed. For kinetics evaluation, the basic hypotheses of various models, as well as their relative drawbacks are also underlined. This article also reviews the crystallization behavior of widely useful biodegradable polymers such as poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(lactic acid).