Poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) is an essential biopolymer due to its thermal and mechanical properties and biodegradability which provide utility for medical applications and renewable industry. For biomedical applications, production of PGA with high molecular weight is an essential factor to possess adequate mechanical stability. Primary pathways for PGA synthesis are ring-opening polymerization of glycolide (ROP), direct polycondensation of glycolic acid, and solid-state polycondensation of halogen acetates. For PGA synthesis, different systems have been developed with using varying parameters including catalysis, initiators, solvents, and reaction temperature. This review summarizes the different synthesis pathways and physicochemical properties of PGA. Biomedical applications of PGA are also discussed.

聚乙醇酸（PGA）由于其热和机械性能以及可生物降解性而成为必不可少的生物聚合物，可为医疗应用和可再生工业提供实用性。对于生物医学应用，高分子量PGA的生产是拥有足够机械稳定性的必要因素。PGA合成的主要途径是乙交酯（ROP）的开环聚合，乙醇酸的直接缩聚和乙酸卤素酯的固态缩聚。对于PGA合成，已经开发出了使用各种参数的不同系统，这些参数包括催化，引发剂，溶剂和反应温度。这篇综述总结了PGA的不同合成途径和理化性质。还讨论了PGA的生物医学应用。