Polylactic acid, also known as poly(lactic acid) or polylactide is a thermoplastic polyester with backbone formulaₙ orₙ, formally obtained by condensation of lactic acid CCH₃HCOOH with loss of water. It can also be prepared by ring-opening polymerization of lactide₂, the cyclic dimer of the basic repeating unit.
PLA has become a popular material due to it being economically produced from renewable resources. In 2010, PLA had the second highest consumption volume of any bioplastic of the world,[3] although it is still not a commodity polymer. Its widespread application has been hindered by numerous physical and processing shortcomings.[4] PLA is the most widely used plastic filament material in 3D printing.
