Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable thermoplastic polyester derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane, making it one of the most commercially available bio-based polymers. It is widely used in packaging, textiles, 3D printing filaments, and medical devices where its combination of processability, reasonable stiffness, and environmental degradability offers advantages over conventional petroleum-based plastics. Engineers select PLA when sustainability is a design requirement or when temporary, biocompatible components are needed, though its lower heat resistance and moisture sensitivity compared to conventional polymers like PET or polystyrene require careful consideration in thermal or humid service environments.
Compliance & Regulations
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compressive Strength(σc) | 21.02 | MPa | — | ||
Elongation at Break(εf) | 20.00 | - | — | ||
Flexural Strength (MOR)(σf) | 86.44 | MPa | — | ||
Hardness (Vickers)(HV) | 180.3 | HV | — | ||
Ultimate Tensile Strength(σUTS) | 51.36 | MPa | — | ||
Young's Modulus(E) | 2.090 | GPa | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glass Transition Temperature(Tg) | 331.8 | K | — | ||
Melting Point / Solidus(Tm) | 434.1 | K | — | ||
Maximum Service Temperature(Tmax) | 614.6 | K | — | ||
Thermal Conductivity(k) | 0.1895 | W/(m·K) | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Band Gap(Eg) | 4.069 | eV | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Refractive Index(n) | 1.457 | - | — |