Pilot production of polyglycolide

Bulk polymerization of glycolide (GA) was conducted. Potassium chloroacetate was first prepared from the reaction of chloroacetic acid with potassium hydroxide. The chloroacetate was then pyrolyzed to produce glycolide monomer under high vacuum and high temperature. Finally, the glycolide was twice purified and polymerized into polyglycolide by a ring-opening polymerization. Following this a pilot line for the production of polyglycolide was designed and manufactured. Techniques in the preparation and purification of glycolide were investigated in some detail, and influences of catalysts and initiators on the polymerization were examined. The structure and properties of the resulting polymer were analysed by 'H-NMR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). With phenol and 1, 1, 2, 2- tetrachloroethane (m: m=1: 1) as solvent, inherent viscosity of the polyglycolide solution was measured at 30 °C. It can be adjusted in the range of 0.64-1. 36 dL/g.