Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2025
A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate PolyLactic Acid Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size
Published on: October 17, 2016
Strengthening-toughening pure poly(lactic acid) with ultra-transparency through increasing mesophase promoted by
Yu Cai1, Shuai Liu1, Cong Fang1
1National Engineering Research Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Key Laboratory of Polymer Processing Engineering, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Technique and Equipment for Macromolecular Advanced Manufacturing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China.
Abstract:
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), as a biodegradable material, finds wide applications in packaging, automotive, and biological industries. However, achieving high strength, toughness, ultra-transparency, and heat resistance simultaneously in pure PLA through continuous one-step manufacturing remains a significant challenge. In this study, we addressed this challenge by utilizing the eccentric rotor extruder (ERE) in combination with cooling rolls to manufacture PLA sheets with outstanding mechanical performance. The ERE's elongational flow field combined with the cooling roller's weak stretching action induced orientation in the PLA molecular chains and promoted the formation of more mesophase, significantly improving mechanical properties. When the extrusion-stretch ratio (λ) value was 3.5, the tensile yield strength, Young's modulus, and elongation at break of ERE-fabricated samples ER-3.5 reached 86.2 MPa, 1777 MPa, and 57.9 %, respectively. Compared to the SE-3.5 samples manufactured with traditional methods, the increases were 38.8 %, 25.8 %, and 9.4 times, respectively. Additionally, the ERE manufactured samples maintained ultra-transparency and high heat resistance, making them suitable for food packaging, biomedicine, and other related fields. This methodology provides an efficient industrial-scale approach for manufacturing neat, biodegradable PLA with outstanding mechanical performance and ultra-transparency.
