At present, the main consumption field of polylactic acid is packaging materials, accounting for more than 65% of the total consumption; followed by applications such as catering utensils, fibers/non-woven fabrics, and 3D printing materials. Europe and North America are the largest markets for PLA, while Asia Pacific will be one of the fastest growing markets in the world as demand for PLA continues to grow in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, India and Thailand.
From the perspective of application mode, due to its good mechanical and physical properties, polylactic acid is suitable for extrusion molding, injection molding, extrusion blow molding, spinning, foaming and other major plastic processing processes, and can be made into films and sheets. , fiber, wire, powder and other forms. Therefore, with the passage of time, the application scenarios of polylactic acid in the world continue to expand, and it has been widely used in food contact grade packaging and tableware, film bag packaging products, shale gas mining, fibers, fabrics, 3D printing materials and other products It is further exploring its application potential in the fields of medicine, auto parts, agriculture, forestry and environmental protection.
In the application in the automotive field, at present, some other polymer materials are added to PLA to make composites to improve the heat resistance, flexibility and impact resistance of PLA, thereby expanding its application scope in the automotive market. .
Status of foreign applications
The application of polylactic acid in automobiles abroad started early, and the technology is quite mature, and the application of modified polylactic acid is relatively advanced. Some foreign car brands that we are familiar with use modified polylactic acid.
Mazda Motor Corporation, in cooperation with Teijin Corporation and Teijin Fiber Corporation, has developed the world’s first bio-fabric made of 100% polylactic acid, which is applied to the quality and durability requirements of the car seat cover in the car interior. middle;Japan’s Mitsubishi Nylon Company produced and sold a kind of PLA as the core material for automobile floor mats. This product was used in Toyota’s third-generation new hybrid car in 2009.
The environmentally friendly polylactic acid fiber material produced by Japan’s Toray Industries Co., Ltd. was put into use as a body and interior floor covering on Toyota Motor Corporation’s hybrid sedan HS 250 h. This material can also be used for interior ceilings and door trims upholstery material.
Japan’s Toyota’s Raum model uses kenaf fiber/PLA composite material to make spare tire cover, and polypropylene (PP)/PLA modified material to make car door panels and side trim panels.
German Röchling Company and Corbion Company have jointly developed a composite material of PLA and glass fiber or wood fiber, which is used in automotive interior parts and functional components.
American RTP Company has developed glass fiber composite products, which are used in automobile air shrouds, sunshades, auxiliary bumpers, side guards and other parts. EU air shrouds, sun hoods, sub-bumpers, side guards and other parts.
The EU ECOplast project has developed a bio-based plastic made from PLA and nanoclay, which is specially used in the production of auto parts.
Domestic application status
The application research of domestic PLA in the automobile industry is relatively late, but with the improvement of domestic environmental protection awareness, domestic car companies and researchers have begun to increase the research and development and application of modified PLA for vehicles, and the application of PLA in automobiles has been rapid. development and promotion. At present, domestic PLA is mainly used in automotive interior parts and parts.
Lvcheng Biomaterials Technology Co., Ltd. has launched high-strength and high-toughness PLA composite materials, which have been used in automotive air intake grilles, triangular window frames and other parts.
Kumho Sunli has successfully developed polycarbonate PC/PLA, which has good mechanical properties and is biodegradable and recyclable, and is used in automotive interior parts.
Tongji University and SAIC have also jointly developed polylactic acid/natural fiber composite materials, which will be used as interior materials for SAIC’s own brand vehicles.
Domestic research on the modification of PLA will be increased, and the future focus will be on the development of polylactic acid compounds with long service life and performance that meets the requirements of use. With the development and progress of modification technology, the application of domestic PLA in the automotive field will be more extensive.
Post time: Nov-01-2022