Polylactic Acid, most commonly known as PLA, is a polymer made from renewable resources. Contrary to other thermoplastics which are petroleum-based, some of the raw materials used for PLA’s production include corn starch, tapioca roots, or sugarcane. Its properties, however, are comparable to other plastics in the industry. These characteristics and consumers’ desire to use a less impactful material have triggered its rapid entrance to the plastic market as a competitive commodity.
In this article, we will focus on PLA plastic itself, its composition, benefits, drawbacks, and production methods among others. If you are interested in reading directly about PLA filament for 3D printing check our article below out.
How is It Made?
PLA is a polyester produced by fermentation under controlled conditions of a carbohydrate source like corn starch or sugarcane. Its building blocks can either be lactic acid or lactide monomers. They will later be polymerized into PLA.
Initially, corn goes through wet milling. Here’s were the starch gets separated. The starch is then mixed with acid or enzymes and heated. This process “breaks” starch into dextrose (D-glucose), or corn sugar. Finally, fermentation of glucose produces L-Lactic acid, which will be the basic constituent of PLA.
What Are the Benefits?
PLA is bio-based and biodegradable. These are the most outstanding properties, especially considering that one does not automatically imply the other. Being bio-based implies that the material is derived from biomass. As for being biodegradable, PLA undergoes a transformation into natural material, such as water, carbon dioxide, and composite. This process is carried out by microorganisms in the environment and is strongly dependent on conditions such as temperature and humidity.