@article{rusa_wei_bullions_shuai_uyar_tonelli_2005, title={Nanostructuring polymers with cyclodextrins}, volume={16}, ISSN={["1099-1581"]}, DOI={10.1002/pat.566}, abstractNote={AbstractBulk solid polymer samples formed by the coalescence of guest polymer chains from their inclusion compounds (ICs) formed with host cyclodextrins (CDs) can result in significant reorganization of their phase structures, morphologies, and even chain conformations from those more commonly produced from randomly‐coiled, entangled polymer solutions and melts. When the cyclic host CDs are threaded by polymer chains to form crystalline polymer‐CD‐ICs, the guest polymers become highly extended due to the narrow host CD diameters (∼5, 7, and 9 Å for α‐, β‐, and γ‐CDs) and are segregated from neighboring guest polymer chains by the CD‐IC channel walls. As a consequence, when polymer‐CD‐IC crystals are treated with CD solvents that do not dissolve the guest polymers or are treated with amylase enzymes, the resulting coalesced bulk polymer samples often display properties distinct from those of normally produced bulk samples of the same polymers. In this article the CD‐IC processing of polymers to generate novel polymer microstructures and morphologies are described, to control the phase separation of immiscible blocks in block copolymers, and to form well‐mixed intimate blends of two or more polymers that are normally incompatible. The thermal and temporal stabilities of polymer samples coalesced from their ICs formed with CDs will also be mentioned, and it is suggested that the range of polymer properties can be greatly expanded by their CD‐IC processing. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, number={2-3}, journal={POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES}, author={Rusa, CC and Wei, M and Bullions, TA and Shuai, XT and Uyar, T and Tonelli, AE}, year={2005}, pages={269–275} }
 @article{rusa_shuai_shin_bullions_wei_porbeni_lu_huang_fox_tonelli_2004, title={Controlling the behaviors of biodegradable/bioabsorbable polymers with cyclodextrins}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1572-8919"]}, DOI={10.1023/B:JOOE.0000038547.36750.78}, number={3}, journal={JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT}, author={Rusa, CC and Shuai, X and Shin, ID and Bullions, TA and Wei, M and Porbeni, FE and Lu, J and Huang, L and Fox, J and Tonelli, AE}, year={2004}, month={Jul}, pages={157–163} }
 @article{rusa_wei_shuai_bullions_wang_rusa_uyar_tonelli_2004, title={Molecular mixing of incompatible polymers through formation of and coalescence from their common crystalline cyclodextrin inclusion compounds}, volume={42}, ISSN={["1099-0488"]}, DOI={10.1002/polb.20272}, abstractNote={AbstractWe describe the successful mixing of polymer pairs and triplets that are normally incompatible to form blends that possess molecular‐level homogeneity. This is achieved by the simultaneous formation of crystalline inclusion compounds (ICs) between host cyclodextrins (CDs) and two or more guest polymers, followed by coalescing the included guest polymers from their common CD–ICs to form blends. Several such CD–IC fabricated blends, including both polymer1/polymer2 binary and polymer1/ polymer2/polymer3 ternary blends, are described and examined by means of X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and solid‐state NMR to probe their levels of mixing. It is generally observed that homogeneous blends with a molecular‐level mixing of blend components is achieved, even when the blend components are normally immiscible by the usual solution and melt blending techniques. In addition, when block copolymers composed of inherently immiscible blocks are coalesced from their CD–ICs, significant suppression of their normal phase‐segregated morphologies generally occurs. Preliminary observations of the thermal and temporal stabilities of the CD–IC coalesced blends and block copolymers are reported, and CD–IC fabrication of polymer blends and reorganization of block copolymers are suggested as a potentially novel means to achieve a significant expansion of the range of useful polymer materials. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4207–4224, 2004}, number={23}, journal={JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART B-POLYMER PHYSICS}, author={Rusa, CC and Wei, M and Shuai, X and Bullions, TA and Wang, X and Rusa, M and Uyar, T and Tonelli, AE}, year={2004}, month={Dec}, pages={4207–4224} }
 @article{wei_shin_urban_tonelli_2004, title={Partial miscibility in a nylon-6/nylon-66 blend coalesced from their common alpha-cyclodextrin inclusion complex}, volume={42}, ISSN={["1099-0488"]}, DOI={10.1002/polb.20018}, abstractNote={AbstractWe successfully formed a series of inclusion complexes (ICs) between an α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) host and two kinds of guest polymers, nylon‐6 and nylon‐66. An attempt to achieve an intimate blend between nylon‐6 and nylon‐66 through the formation and dissociation of their common α‐CD IC was made. The formation of all nylon ICs was verified with wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and cross‐polarized/magic‐angle‐spinning 13C NMR spectroscopy. The experimental results demonstrated that α‐CD could only host single nylon polymer chains in the IC channels, either nylon‐6 or nylon‐66 in their own complexes, and presumably either nylon in neighboring channels of their common IC. The IC‐coalesced blend of nylon‐6 and nylon‐66 was obtained after the removal of the host cyclodextrin from their common IC with dimethyl sulfoxide. The spectroscopic results (FTIR and 13C NMR) illustrated that there was a degree of intimate miscibility existing in the IC‐coalesced blend, but not in the solution‐cast physical blend, although X‐ray diffraction patterns showed that the crystal structure of the IC‐coalesced blend was similar to that of the physical blend. DSC thermal profiles suggested that nylon‐66 first formed crystals during coalescence and that the subsequent crystallization of nylon‐6 was greatly affected by the nylon‐66 crystallites because of the close proximity of the two components in portions of the coalesced blend. DSC observations also demonstrated that the melting of the coalesced blend did not lead to complete phase separation of the nylon‐6 and nylon‐66 components. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1369–1378, 2004}, number={8}, journal={JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART B-POLYMER PHYSICS}, author={Wei, M and Shin, ID and Urban, B and Tonelli, AE}, year={2004}, month={Apr}, pages={1369–1378} }
 @article{wei_shuai_tonelli_2003, title={Melting and crystallization behaviors of biodegradable polymers enzymatically coalesced from their cyclodextrin inclusion complexes}, volume={4}, ISSN={["1526-4602"]}, DOI={10.1021/bm034078u}, abstractNote={Inclusion complexed (IC) and coalesced biodegradable poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), and their diblock copolymer (PCL-b-PLLA) were achieved by forming ICs between host alpha-cyclodextrin(alpha-CD) and guest PCL, PLLA, and PCL-b-PLLA, followed by removing the alpha-CD host with an amylase enzyme. FTIR spectra of the coalesced polymers reveal that the host alpha-CD can be completely removed, without polymer degradation, by treatment with an amylase enzyme. The melting and crystallization behavior of these CD-IC treated polymers, which are crystallizable, biodegradable, and bioabsorbable, are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy. Results show that coalescence increased the crystallinities of the homopolymers but decreased that of the diblock copolymer. The Avrami exponent (n), derived from both isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization models for homo-PCL and -PLLA and the PCL and PLLA blocks in the diblock copolymer samples coalesced from their ICs, is close to 4, indicating homogeneous crystallization, whereas crystallization of the blocks in the as-synthesized diblock copolymer yields an Avrami exponent around 3, indicating heterogeneous crystallization. All of these results demonstrate that the PCL and PLLA homopolymers and blocks in the IC-coalesced samples are more readily and homogeneously crystallized than those in the as-synthesized samples or their physical blend, even though the level of crystallinity in the IC-coalesced diblock copolymer is significantly lower. Moreover, unlike the as-synthesized diblock copolymer, the crystallization of PCL and PLLA blocks in the IC-coalesced diblock copolymer are not influenced by their covalent connection.}, number={3}, journal={BIOMACROMOLECULES}, author={Wei, M and Shuai, XT and Tonelli, AE}, year={2003}, pages={783–792} }
 @article{wei_shuai_2002, title={Biodegradable polymers enzymatically coalesced from their cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, I. Melting behavior and isothermal crystallizatioin}, volume={35}, journal={Macromolecules}, author={Wei, M. and Shuai, X.}, year={2002} }
 @article{wei_shuai_2002, title={Biodegradable polymers enzymatically coalesced from their cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. II. Non-isothermal crystallization}, volume={35}, journal={Macromolecules}, author={Wei, M. and Shuai, X.}, year={2002} }
 @article{shuai_porbeni_wei_bullions_tonelli_2002, title={Formation of inclusion complexes of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)s with cyclodextrins. 1. Immobilization of atactic poly(R,S-3-hydroxybutyrate) and miscibility enhancement between poly(R,S-3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone)}, volume={35}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma011954s}, abstractNote={Atactic poly(R,S-3-hydroxybutyrate) (a-PHB) was synthesized by anionic polymerization of β-butyrolactone with potassium methoxide as an initiator. This completely amorphous polyester is capable of forming a crystalline inclusion complex (IC) with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) adopting a channel structure. There is no evidence showing that a-PHB may form IC with either α-CD or β-CD. On the basis of these discoveries, a common IC was formed with two polymer chains, a-PHB and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL), randomly distributed into the channels of γ-CD-PCL/a-PHB IC crystals. Nevertheless, in the formation of the common IC, PCL inclusion appears superior to a-PHB inclusion. Therefore, the molar ratio of a-PHB and PCL in the coalesced sample has been detected to be lower than that used in the formation of the common IC. Washing the common IC with hot water removed the γ-CD, and the molecular chains of the two polymers were coalesced. Very interestingly, only a single glass transition temperature (Tg), dependent on the co...}, number={8}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Shuai, XT and Porbeni, FE and Wei, M and Bullions, T and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, month={Apr}, pages={3126–3132} }
 @article{shuai_porbeni_wei_bullions_tonelli_2002, title={Inclusion complex formation between alpha,gamma-cyclodextrins and a triblock copolymer and the cyclodextrin-type-dependent microphase structures of their coalesced samples}, volume={35}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma012085+}, abstractNote={A triblock copolymer (PCL−PPG−PCL, Mn = 1.38 × 104) of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactone. Cyclodextrin (CD)-type-dependent formation of inclusion complexes (ICs) between cyclodextrins and this triblock copolymer was studied. Only PCL blocks were included as guests in the IC formed with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), while both PCL and PPG blocks were included in the IC formed with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD). As a result, the copolymer coalesced from its IC crystals with α-CD showed an increased crystallinity, while to the contrary, the copolymer coalesced from its IC crystals with γ-CD exhibited a decreased crystallinity, when both were compared to the as-synthesized triblock copolymer. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, 13C CP/MAS solid-state NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) measurements were employed to study the formation of ICs as ...}, number={6}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Shuai, XT and Porbeni, FE and Wei, M and Bullions, T and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, month={Mar}, pages={2401–2405} }
 @article{bullions_edeki_porbeni_wei_shuai_rusa_tonelli_2003, title={Intimate blend of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) via formation with and coalescence from their common inclusion compound with gamma-cyclodextrin}, volume={41}, ISSN={["1099-0488"]}, DOI={10.1002/polb.10366}, abstractNote={AbstractThe experimental procedures to place poly(ethylene 2,6‐naphthalate) (PEN) guest molecules within γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD) host molecules are described along with the subsequent verification of inclusion‐compound (IC) formation. In addition, the simultaneous complexing of PEN and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with γ‐CD to form their common IC is documented. Coalescence from their common γ‐CD IC generates an intimate blend of the PET and PEN polymers contained therein. Thermal analysis via differential scanning calorimetry reveals thermal behavior indicative of an intimate blend of PET and PEN. 1H NMR analysis confirms that the intimate blending of PET and PEN achieved by coalescence from their common γ‐CD IC is not due to transesterification into a PET/PEN copolymer during thermal analysis. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 139–148, 2003}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART B-POLYMER PHYSICS}, author={Bullions, TA and Edeki, EM and Porbeni, FE and Wei, M and Shuai, X and Rusa, CC and Tonelli, AE}, year={2003}, month={Jan}, pages={139–148} }
 @article{wei_shuai_2002, title={Large-scale ordered spherulitic morphology of poly(e-caprolactone)-b-poly(l-lactide) diblock copolymers}, volume={23}, journal={Macromolecular Rapid Communications}, author={Wei, M. and Shuai, X.}, year={2002} }
 @article{wei_davis_urban_song_porbeni_wang_white_balik_rusa_fox_et al._2002, title={Manipulation of nylon-6 crystal structures with its alpha-cyclodextrin inclusion complex}, volume={35}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma020765m}, abstractNote={We successfully formed an inclusion complex between nylon-6 and α-cyclodextrin and attempted to use the formation and subsequent disassociation of the nylon-6/α-cyclodextrin inclusion complex to manipulate the polymorphic crystal structures, crystallinity, and orientation of nylon-6. Formation of the inclusion complex was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and CP/MAS 13C NMR. After obtaining the inclusion complex of nylon-6 and α-cyclodextrin, the sample was treated in an acid environment to remove the host α-cyclodextrin and coalesce the nylon-6 guest polymer. Examination of as-received and IC coalesced nylon-6 samples showed that the α-form crystalline phase of nylon-6 is the dominant component in the coalesced sample. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrate that the γ-form is significantly suppressed in the coalesced sample. Along with the change in crystal form, an increase in crystallinity of ∼80% wa...}, number={21}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Wei, M and Davis, W and Urban, B and Song, YQ and Porbeni, FE and Wang, XW and White, JL and Balik, CM and Rusa, CC and Fox, J and et al.}, year={2002}, month={Oct}, pages={8039–8044} }
 @article{bullions_wei_porbeni_gerber_peet_balik_white_tonelli_2002, title={Reorganization of the structures, morphologies, and conformations of bulk polymers via coalescence from polymer-cyclodextrin inclusion compounds}, volume={40}, ISSN={["1099-0488"]}, DOI={10.1002/polb.10152}, abstractNote={AbstractBulk poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) samples have been produced by the coalescence of their segregated, extended chains from the narrow channels of the crystalline inclusion compounds (ICs) formed between the γ‐cyclodextrin (CD) host and PET and PC guests, which are reported for the first time. Differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared, and X‐ray observations of PET and PC samples coalesced from their crystalline γ‐CD‐ICs suggest structures and morphologies that are different from those of samples obtained by ordinary solution and melt processing techniques. For example, as‐received PC is generally amorphous with a glass‐transition temperature (Tg) of about 150 °C; when cast from tetrahydrofuran solutions, PC is semicrystalline with a melting temperature (Tm) of about 230 °C; and after PC/γ‐CD‐IC is washed with hot water for the removal of the host γ‐CD and for the coalescence of the guest PC chains, it is semicrystalline but has an elevated Tm value of about 245 °C. PC crystals formed upon the coalescence of highly extended and segregated PC chains from the narrow channels in the γ‐CD host lattice are possibly more chain‐extended and certainly more stable than chain‐folded PC crystals grown from solution. Melting the PC crystals formed by coalescence from PC/γ‐CD‐IC produces a normal amorphous PC melt that, upon cooling, results in typical glassy PC. PET coalesced from its γ‐CD‐IC crystals, although also semicrystalline, displays a Tm value only marginally elevated from that of typical bulk or solution‐crystallized PET samples. However, after the melting of γ‐CD‐IC‐coalesced PET crystals, it is difficult to quench the resultant PET melt into the usual amorphous PET glass, characterized by a Tg value of about 80 °C. Instead, the coalesced PET melt rapidly recrystallizes during the attempted quench, and so upon reheating, it displays neither a Tg nor a crystallization exotherm but simply remelts at the as‐coalesced Tm. This behavior is unaffected by the coalesced PET sample being held above Tm for 2 h, indicating that the extended, unentangled nature of the chains in the noncrystalline regions of the coalesced PET are not easily converted into the completely disordered, randomly coiled, entangled melt. Apparently, the highly extended, unentangled characters of the PC and PET chains in their γ‐CD‐ICs are at least partially retained after they are coalesced. Initial differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared, and X‐ray observations are described here. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 992–1012, 2002}, number={10}, journal={JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART B-POLYMER PHYSICS}, author={Bullions, TA and Wei, M and Porbeni, FE and Gerber, MJ and Peet, J and Balik, M and White, JL and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, month={May}, pages={992–1012} }
 @article{shuai_probeni_wei_bullions_tonelli_2002, title={Stereoselectivity in the formation of crystalline inclusion complexes of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)s with cyclodextrins}, volume={35}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma012038h}, abstractNote={ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVNoteNEXTStereoselectivity in the Formation of Crystalline Inclusion Complexes of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)s with CyclodextrinsXintao Shuai, Francis E. Porbeni, Min Wei, Todd Bullions, and Alan E. TonelliView Author Information Fiber and Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301 Cite this: Macromolecules 2002, 35, 9, 3778–3780Publication Date (Web):March 26, 2002Publication History Received21 November 2001Revised15 February 2002Published online26 March 2002Published inissue 1 April 2002https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ma012038hhttps://doi.org/10.1021/ma012038hbrief-reportACS PublicationsCopyright © 2002 American Chemical SocietyRequest reuse permissionsArticle Views421Altmetric-Citations62LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail Other access optionsGet e-Alertsclose SUBJECTS:Cadmium sulfide,Cavities,Conformation,Physical and chemical processes,Polymers Get e-Alerts}, number={9}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Shuai, XT and Probeni, FE and Wei, M and Bullions, T and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, month={Apr}, pages={3778–3780} }
 @article{wei_ivey_tonelli_2002, title={What is the source of the microstructural dependence of resonance frequencies observed in the solution NMR of polymers whose local structures and conformations appear to be independent of their longer range microstructures?}, volume={35}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma011616r}, abstractNote={ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVNoteNEXTWhat Is the Source of the Microstructural Dependence of Resonance Frequencies Observed in the Solution NMR of Polymers Whose Local Structures and Conformations Appear To Be Independent of Their Longer Range Microstructures?Min Wei, Darlene T. Ivey, and Alan E. TonelliView Author Information Fiber & Polymer Science Program, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301 Cite this: Macromolecules 2002, 35, 5, 1976–1979Publication Date (Web):January 26, 2002Publication History Received10 September 2001Published online26 January 2002Published inissue 1 February 2002https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ma011616rhttps://doi.org/10.1021/ma011616rbrief-reportACS PublicationsCopyright © 2002 American Chemical SocietyRequest reuse permissionsArticle Views187Altmetric-Citations3LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail Other access optionsGet e-Alertsclose SUBJECTS:Biopolymers,Conformation,Organic polymers,Plastics,Resonance structures Get e-Alerts}, number={5}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Wei, M and Ivey, DT and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, month={Feb}, pages={1976–1979} }
 @article{wei_tonelli_2001, title={Compatiblization of polymers via coalescence from their common cyclodextrin inclusion compounds}, volume={34}, ISSN={["0024-9297"]}, DOI={10.1021/ma010235a}, abstractNote={We have found, when inherently immiscible polymers are included as guests in the narrow channels of their common inclusion compounds (ICs) formed with host cyclodextrins (CDs) and then these polymer-1/polymer-2-CD-IC crystals are washed with hot water to remove the host CD lattice and coalesce the guest polymers, that intimately mixed blends of the polymers are obtained. This behavior had been observed previously by us for the crystallizable poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) pair, where in the coaelsced blend PCL and PLLA crystallinity was completely and nearly completely suppressed, respectively. Here we report similar observations made on the polycarbonate (PC)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) pair, which are respectively difficult to crystallize and amorphous. PC/PMMA blends coalesced from their common γ-CD-ICs are amorphous and generally exhibit single glass transitions at temperatures (Tg) between those of pure PC and PMMA. Interestingly, a 1:4 molar PC:PMMA blend coalesced from i...}, number={12}, journal={MACROMOLECULES}, author={Wei, M and Tonelli, AE}, year={2001}, month={Jun}, pages={4061–4065} }
 @article{shuai_wei_porbeni_bullions_tonelli_2002, title={Formation of and coalescence from the inclusion complex of a biodegradable block copolymer and alpha-cyclodextrin. 2: A novel way to regulate the biodegradation behavior of biodegradable block copolymers}, volume={3}, ISSN={["1526-4602"]}, DOI={10.1021/bm015609m}, abstractNote={A biodegradable block copolymer (PCL-b-PLLA, M(n) = 1.72 x 10(4), M(w)/M(n) = 1.37) of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) with very low crystallinity was obtained by forming the inclusion complex between alpha-cyclodextrin molecules and PCL-b-PLLA followed by coalescence of the guest polymer chains. Films of the as-synthesized and coalesced copolymer samples, PCL and PLLA homopolymers of approximately the same chain lengths as the corresponding blocks of PCL-b-PLLA, and a physical blend of PCL/PLLA homopolymers with the same molar composition as PCL-b-PLLA were prepared by melt-compression molding between Teflon plates. Subsequently, the in vitro biodegradation behavior of these films was studied in phosphate buffer solution containing lipase from Rhizopus arrhizus, by means of ultraviolet spectra, attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements, and weight loss analysis. PCL segments were found to degrade much faster than PLLA segments, both in the pure state and in copolymer or blend samples. Consistent with our expectation, suppression of the phase separation, as well as a decrease of crystallinity, in the coalesced copolymer sample led to a much faster enzymatic degradation than that of either as-synthesized copolymer or the PCL/PLLA physical blend sample, especially during the early stages of biodegradation. Thus the biodegradation behavior of biodegradable block copolymers, which is of decisive importance in drug delivery and controlled release systems, may be regulated by the novel and convenient means recently reported by us.(1)}, number={1}, journal={BIOMACROMOLECULES}, author={Shuai, XT and Wei, M and Porbeni, FE and Bullions, TA and Tonelli, AE}, year={2002}, pages={201–207} }