Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fiber is a synthetic fiber spun from polyvinyl chloride resin, which is self-extinguishing. As a fiber solutions supplier, Alfa Chemistry offers PVC fiber products to meet customers' specific fiber material requirements.
What Is PLA?
PLA, also known as polylactide, belongs to the polyester family. PLA is a polymer obtained by polymerizing lactic acid as the main raw material. The source of raw materials is sufficient and renewable, which mainly includes corn, cassava, etc. The production process of PLA is pollution-free, and the product can be biodegraded to realize the cycle in nature, so it is an ideal green polymer material.
PLA can be prepared by direct polycondensation and ring-opening polymerization, as shown in the figure below. The former production method is simple, but it is difficult to obtain high molecular weight PLA. The latter method is often used for the synthesis of high molecular weight, high stereoregularity PLA. [1]
Polymerization routes [1]
Properties of PLA Fiber
- PLA fiber are 100% bio-based synthetic thermoplastic fibers, which are favored because of their wide source of biomass raw materials, green production process, degradability, and excellent comprehensive performance.
- PLA fibers are considered the most promising sustainable and biodegradable fibers to replace conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyester fibers in textile products.
- PLA fibers have good biodegradability and can be completely decomposed into CO2 and H2O in nature after being discarded. Through photosynthesis, the two can be turned into starch, the raw material of lactic acid.
- PLA fibers have the physical and mechanical properties of high crystallinity, high orientation, high heat resistance and high strength. The physical properties of PLA fibers are similar to those of PET fibers and nylon fibers. The performance comparison of the three is shown in the table below.
| Project | PLA | PET | Nylon |
|---|
| Physical properties | Specific gravity | 1.27 | 1.38 | 1.14 |
| Refractive index | 1.4 | 1.58 | 1.57 |
| Melting point °C | 170 | 255 | 220 |
| Tg °C | 57 | 70 | 40 |
| Moisture absorption rate | 0.6 | 0.4 | 4.5 |
| Mechanical properties | Strength g/d | 3.5-5.0 | 4.5-5.5 | 4.5-6.0 |
| Elongation % | 40 | 30 | 60 |
| Dyeability | Dye | Disperse | Disperse | Disperse |
| Temperature °C | 100 | 130 | 100 |
- PLA fibers are biocompatible and can be safely implanted into the body without toxic side effects.
- PLA fiber has a high oxygen limiting index (LOI 24-29), good self-extinguishing after combustion, low combustion smoke, and good flame retardancy.
Application And Research
PLA fibers are mainly used in clothing, medical, interior decoration and food packaging and other fields, and they have good dyeability and biocompatibility. Notably, since the degradation product lactic acid is metabolically harmless, PLA fibers have attracted much attention as biomedical materials, such as implants and sutures. Furthermore, PLA fibers have been found to be one of the most favorable matrix materials in the field of tissue engineering. Marco Santoro et al. reviewed recent advances in PLA nanofiber scaffolds for musculoskeletal, neural, cardiovascular, and skin tissue engineering. [2]
References
- R. E. Drumright, et al. Adv. Mater. 2000, 12(23), 1841-1846.
- Marco Santoro, et al. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2016, 107, 206-212.
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