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What is PLA

By Lizzsews

This article is brought to you by Lizzsews.


PLA -> polylactic acid which is a vegetable-based plastic-type material. Derived from renewable sources, for example, corn starch or sugar cane (biomass). Although this name is ambiguous as polylactic acid is not a polyacid but rather a polyester. 


These types of plastics are also known as ‘bioplastics’ as most plastics are created using nonrenewable petroleum reserves. 


Polylactic acid can be created from pre-existing manufacturing equipment therefore they are quite cost efficient to produce. 


Other uses of polylactic acid include:

   - Plastic films

   - Bottles

   - Biodegradable medical devices


PLA facts:

   - Generally, food-safe 

   - Easily sanded

   - Easily painted

   - Biodegradable -> although it is biodegradable, it doesn’t compost fast enough to be composted. 

   - Not suitable to be outside

   - Low heat resistance/low melting point

   - Good dimensional accuracy 

   - Good strength


Polylactic acid -> a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester with a backbone formula.


Bio-based aliphatic polyesters, including PLA, usually have low melting points and glass transition temperature and are hydrophilic. 


Hydrophilic -> they have a moderate/high water intake when exposed to sources of moisture. This affects its mechanical properties and stability. 


For this reason, PLA filament for 3D printing is vacuum sealed and when open will only last so long. You can check if your filament is still good by bending it a little, if it bends, you’re good if it breaks the filament is bad. 


PLA is one of the most commonly used filament types in 3D printing. 


The properties of PLA:


Tg -> ~ 45 - 60 degrees Celsius

Tm -> ~ 150 - 160 degrees Celsius


Glass transition temperature -> Tg -> the temperature when a polymer transitions from a ductile material to hard, brittle material. 

(For the heat of the printer bed, but this does not mean to set this as the temperature)


Polymer -> of a class, natural or synthetic, substances composed of very large molecules. Polymer examples inside living organisms include proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. PLA is in the polymer class: polyesters. 


The melting point for a double-stranded nucleic acid -> Tm -> is the temperature when 50% of the strands are in double-stranded form and the other 50% are in single-stranded form. “Midway in the melting curve”.


When using PLA set these settings:


Bed temperature -> 45-60 degrees Celsius 

Extruder -> 190-220 degrees Celsius 

Cooling -> set to 100% (can ooze without a cooling fan)




Leave a comment below and let me know if you have used PLA filament! And don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date with all of Lizzsews new articles. See you next time!

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