How to achieve biodegradability of PLA consumables
PLA is one of the most common and most popular 3D printer consumables. In addition to its affordable price, biodegradability is also one of its main features, but is this really the case? Under what circumstances does PLA need to be biodegradable? Let’s take a look next. One. What is PLA and what is it made of?PLA is a polymer (polylactic acid) composed of small lactic acid units. Lactic acid is an organic acid that plays an important role in our daily lives. The yogurt we usually drink or anything that has glucose can be turned into lactic acid, and the lactic acid of PLA consumables comes from corn, which is made from the starch raw materials extracted from Phenibut on sale corn. Polylactic acid is one of the most used consumables for FDM 3D printers. It is easy to 3D print, and the melt can be extruded at 180°C. It is one of the first choice 3D printer consumables for many beginners and professionals. In addition to these, it has a unique feature: PLA is one of the biodegradable non-toxic consumables, and its raw materials come from nature. Second, what does the degradation rate of PLA depend on?The biodegradation process and its duration largely depend on the environment. For example, heat, humidity and microorganisms are the three necessary factors that affect the degradation rate of PLA. PLA decays fastest Phenibut Suppliers in a high temperature environment with abundant microorganisms. Burying PLA deep in the soil can cause signs of decay within 6 months. And PLA needs a longer time to degrade under room temperature and pressure. In an ordinary room, PLA consumables will last a long time. Sunlight does not accelerate biodegradation (except for heat), ultraviolet rays will only cause the material to lose its color and become pale, which is the same effect as most plastics. 3. Is biodegradability good or bad?Whether this slow biodegradation process is good or bad depends largely on your opinion and your opinion on it Usage. According to the principle of su Phenibut Suppliers stainable development, biodegradable materials are ideal because they will eventually return to nature. For example, in some aspects, you want it to automatically degrade and disappear after a certain period of time, such as in orthopedic surgery, degradability is also beneficial. On the other hand, you have to keep most models unchanged and don’t want it to degrade quickly. For example, if you put them in a cool and dry place, the 3D model printed by PLA will last longer. PLA is biodegradable because its origin is natural, microorganisms can feed on it, and after degradation, it can be converted into compost. It only needs to be buried in humidity, 60°C temperature and microbial soil to degrade it. Under good conditions, PLA will show signs of biodegradation within 6 months. When you put them in a cool and dry place under normal room conditions, PLA will last for hundreds of years.