This website provides an excellent overview of PLA as a polymer, its properties, and manufacture. This web article describes the production of lactic acid from biomass by microbial fermentation coupled to a poly-merization process to make PLA. The article is a bit dated and its industrial projections are now seen to be a bit over-optimistic. NatureWorks is the company that started large-scale p...

Triblock copolymers of functionalized poly(lactic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid) (PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA) have been widely investigated as precursors for fabricating resorbable polymeric drug delivery vehicles and tissue engineering scaffolds. Previous studies show degradation and erosion behavior of PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA hydrogels to rely on macromer chemistry as well as structural chara...

In this work, biotin surface functionalized hydrophilic non-water-soluble biocompatible poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibers are created for their potential use as biosensors. Varying concentrations of biotin (up to 18 weight total percent (wt %)) were incorporated into PLA fibers together with poly(lactic acid)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-b-PEG) block polymers. While biotin provided surface...

In this work, we present a functionalization strategy of starch-poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blends with organic acids. Lactic and acetic acid were used as agents, oleic was also included in the previous acids, aim finding synergy that thermodynamically benefits products provides hydrophobicity. The ratio starch sorbitol 70:30, added agent replaced 6% plasticizer; meanwhile, thermoplastic (TPS)–PLA ...

Kenaf bast fiber (KBF) filled plasticized poly(lactic acid) (p-PLA) composites was prepared and examined stage by stage in this study. Firstly, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was plasticized with 5 up to 20 wt% poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) via internal mixer. Blend with 10 wt% PEG was chosen as matrix for composite as it showed the best impact strength and elongation at break. Secondly, maleic anhydrid...

In the framework of environmentally friendly processes and products, poly lactic acid(PLA) represents the best polymeric substitutes for various petropolymers because of its renewability, biodegradability, biocompatibility and good thermomechanical properties [1]. The purpose of this study was to analyze foot pressure distribution of PLA materials in functional shoes. Comfort is an important as...

The synthesis of a family of new poly(lactic acid-co-glycerol monostearate) (PLA-PGC18) copolymers and their use as biodegradable polymer dopants is reported to enhance the hydrophobicity of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nonwoven meshes. Solutions of PLGA are doped with PLA-PGC18 and electrospun to form meshes with micrometer-sized fibers. Fiber diameter, percent doping, and copolym...

Abstract Wheat bran (WB) was investigated as potential filler for controlling the plasticizer migration in poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(butylene succinate adipate) (PBSA) binary blends (with 60 wt.% of PLA and 40 PBSA). The process three different biobased biodegradable plasticizers [Triacetin (TA), acetyl tri- n -butyl citrate (ATBC) oligomeric lactic acid (OLA)] adding them at a fixed amount ...

A versatile and convenient way to produce bioactive poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds is described. PLA and PCL are extensively used as biocompatible scaffold materials for tissue engineering. Here, biobased nano graphene oxide dots (nGO) are incorporated in PLA or PCL electrospun scaffolds during the electrospinning process aiming to enhan...