PLA, full name Polylactic Acid, is a biodegradable thermoplastic polyester. It is derived from renewable resources (such as cornstarch, sugar cane), which is both environmentally friendly and in line with the principles of sustainable development. PLA is one of the most popular bioplastics, especially in the fields of 3D printing and disposable tableware.

The advantages of PLA are:

Biodegradable and compostable: Compared to conventional plastics, PLA can degrade under industrial composting conditions, reducing the impact on the environment.

Made from renewable resources: Since PLA is refined from plants such as cornstarch, this means that it is made from renewable resources rather than petroleum.

Good processing performance: PLA can be processed by extrusion, injection molding, blow molding and other traditional plastic processing processes.

Good gloss and transparency: suitable for making packaging materials and containers, such as clear beverage bottles.

No harmful substances: there is no risk of releasing harmful gases during use, and it is more suitable for food packaging and other products that contact food.

However, the PLA also has some drawbacks, including:

Poor thermal stability: PLA has a low thermal deformation temperature, usually around 55-60°C, so it is not suitable for high temperature applications.

Uv and moisture sensitivity: PLA degrades easily, which can be seen as an advantage to some extent, but it can be a problem in some applications as it can limit the service life of the product.

Low strength and toughness: the mechanical properties of PLA are not as good as those of ordinary plastics such as PET, PS or PP, especially the impact strength is low.

Low elongation at break: PLA is generally brittle and less suitable for applications requiring high elasticity.

To sum up, PLA has significant advantages in certain areas due to its biodegradable and renewable properties, especially in short-term use and disposable products. However, its limitations in terms of high-temperature stability, mechanical strength, and durability mean that it may not be the best choice in some industrial and structural applications. How to improve these properties of PLA through various methods is being studied to broaden its application range.