Polylactic acid: the future star of green degradable plastics

Currently, the availability of bioplastics derived from renewable raw materials (e. g., corn) is in the research stage. The first successful bioplastic is polylactic acid (PLA) extracted from lactic acid.

Polyllactic acid (PLA), also known as polypolyester, is a new type of biodegradable material, it belongs to the polyester family, is made from renewable plant resources (such as corn, cassava, etc.) extracted starch raw material, through a series of chemical and biological processes. PLA is a polymer obtained by polymerization reaction with lactic acid as the main raw material.

Lactic acid is an organic acid that is widely found in nature and can also be extracted from plant starch by a fermentation process. The production process of PLA is relatively environmentally friendly and meets the requirements of sustainable development. PLA is known for its excellent transparency, high gloss and good barrier, and has an oxygen barrier similar to polypropylene.

Characteristics of PLA:

Biodegradability: PLA can be completely degraded by microorganisms in nature, eventually generating carbon dioxide and water, without causing pollution to the environment. This property makes PLA an ideal alternative to conventional plastics.

Biocompatibility: PLA has good biocompatibility and can be gradually degraded and absorbed in the human body, so it is widely used in the medical field, such as surgical sutures, orthopedic internal fixation materials, etc.

Mechanical properties: Polylactic acid has high modulus and strength, as well as good tensile strength and extension, which makes it have good physical properties when making various Plastic Products .

Processing performance: PLA has good processing performance, and can be processed into plastic products of various shapes and sizes through injection molding, blow molding, extrusion and other ways.

Environmental protection: the production of PLA raw materials from a wide range of sources and renewable, harmful chemicals are not used in the production process, is an environmentally friendly material.

Plastic products for PLA:

Packaging materials: polylactic acid can be used to make food packaging, tableware, disposable meal boxes and other packaging materials. These products have the characteristics of green and completely degradation in the use process, which can effectively reduce the pollution of plastic waste to the environment.

Medical supplies: PLA is widely used in the medical field, such as surgical sutures, tear-free surgical sutures, orthopedic internal fixation materials (such as absorbable screws and bone plates), etc. These products utilize PLA biocompatibility and degradability and are able to reduce patient distress and recovery time.

3D printing materials: Polylactic acid is one of the most popular materials in the field of 3D printing. It has good formability and degradability, so that the printed products have high precision and environmental protection.

Fiber and nonwovens: PLA fiber can be used in clothing, medical use, interior decoration and food packaging. The fabric made of polylactic acid fiber has silk luster, no skin irritation, and is good for human health, which is suitable for making underwear, sports clothes and children's clothing.

PLA has been recognized by the New York Biodegradation Products Association, meaning that PLA can decompose within 75-80 days in a warm (50℃ -60℃) humid and microbial environment. Fertilizer stacking in private gardens is not suitable for this process because it is impractical to reach the desired temperature.

Previously available materials still showed unsatisfactory creep effects and until now are limited to non-carbonated drinks, including inconsistent bottle process data as well as PET. However, the extension is roughly the same, so that the geometry of the PET bottle embryo can be used for the initial stage, which means that the injection system for PET can be used for PLA processing.

In the initial introduction phase, PLA was quite expensive, since then, the material has moved closer to PET, and now the price of the two materials is almost the same. Depending on the market demand, there may be a shortage of materials, PLA processing can basically be performed on the standard Nestal PET-LINE system, however, many characteristics of PLA should be considered, which will cause long-term changes in processing procedures.

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