Poly (Lactic Acid): Green and Sustainable Plastics

Abstract

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most versatile environmentfriendly biodegradable thermoplastic polyester. It is linear aliphatic thermoplastic polyester derived from 100% green and renewable sources such as corn (Figure 1). PLA has wide range of properties such as bio-compatibility, bio-degradability, less toxicity, vast range of mechanical properties and the ability to be molded into different shapes. These properties make it a very suitable material for applications similar to plastics and more widely in biomedical fields [1]. Low molecular weight PLA was produced by Carother et al. in 1932. The first marketing of PLA for medical purpose was initiated by E. I.