Application of polylactic acid fiber
Polylactic acid fiber has high crystallinity and orientation similar to polyester fiber, good hand, drapability and resilience, excellent curling and curling stability, and has a certain self-extinguishing property. It is widely used in clothing, Home textiles, agriculture and biomedical hygiene materials and other fields.
In the field of wadding fibers, PLA can be made into products such as pillows, quilts, and quilted outerwear. The excellent bulk properties of PLA give it a more down-feeling feel than other synthetic fibers.
In the fields of medical, hygiene materials and nonwovens, PLA can produce a range of products that are both naturally degradable and compostable without compromising performance. PLA's stain-resistance properties make it an ideal material for home, office, and transportation applications.
The following introduces several applications of polylactic acid fiber:
Polylactic acid mask
At present, most of the masks on the market are made of polypropylene, and each mask contains more than 90% polypropylene. However, polypropylene is ultimately a petroleum-based plastic and cannot be biodegraded. A large number of masks are produced, consumed and discarded but cannot be degraded, which has become a serious environmental protection problem.
The degradability and bacteriostatic properties of polylactic acid masks have become its biggest bright spot, and its research difficulty lies in melt-blown fabrics. In 2001, Dieter H. Muller of the University of Bremen, Germany, conducted the earliest research on melt-blown polylactic acid non-woven materials. It is considered that polylactic acid can be applied to the melt-blown process, but due to the problems of the raw materials used and the process, the poor experimental results lead to the formation of the fiber web whose properties cannot meet the requirements of industrial use.
Until the beginning of 2010, a company under NatureWorks in the United States conducted a melt-blown test on the new IngeoTM chip material launched by NatureWorks, confirming that IngeoTM is suitable for traditional melt-blown equipment and can be used as a raw material for the manufacture of melt-blown nonwovens.
Polylactic acid fabric
The research shows that the spinning and weaving process of polylactic acid staple fiber is similar to that of polyester or other synthetic fibers of corresponding specifications, and the existing equipment can be used for production.
Compared with PET polyester fiber, PLA fiber has better hydrophilicity. The polar oxygen bond of PLA is connected with water molecules, causing high water vapor transfer in the fiber, which can quickly transfer water from the surface of the human body. This hydrophilicity of it improves the "breathing" ability of clothing products, making PLA fibers have a significant development advantage in intimate underwear, sportswear, etc.
PHBV and PLA blend fibers
Polyhydroxybutyrate hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) is favored by scholars at home and abroad due to its excellent biocompatibility and degradability. However, due to its narrow raw material processing window, easy thermal degradation and high melt viscosity, it can be spun. Poor sex.
In recent years, PHBV/PLA blended fibers have been prepared by melt spinning through blending modification technology. The products have silk luster and feel, and can be used in the fields of high-end clothing, health care and medical materials.
Automotive materials
Polylactic acid fiber has the characteristics of degradable, environmentally friendly production and processing, wide source of raw materials, and low odor. It can reduce volatile gas (VOC) emissions in automobiles when used in automobile interiors.
PLA is used in under-hood components as well as interior parts such as carpets, floor mats, upholstery, and protective packaging used in automobile manufacturing and shipping. 2003 – Ford uses PLA fiber for its Model U canvas roof and carpet pads.
2006 - Mazda begins developing bioplastics called Mazda Biotech Materials. Teijin and Mazda jointly developed Biofront™, the first volume-produced stereocomposite PLA. It is used in car seat fabrics (Mazda Premacy) and also in floor mats, pillar covers, door trims, front panels and ceiling materials.
In addition to the above-mentioned product applications, the earliest and most mature application of polylactic acid fibers is medical materials, such as medical spinning threads used for wound sutures. In addition, with the rise of electronic cigarettes in recent years, some manufacturers have also used PLA fibers to filter cigarette holders.
