Purac to Offer High Performance PLA Resins as Demand for Bioplastics Rises

Purac has announced that it now offers PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) resins to companies interested in exploring the benefits of high performance bioplastics. Purac offers these samples to brand owners, converters and compounders for easier evaluation of the performance benefits of PURALACT Lactide based PLA.

12 Feb 2013 --- The global shift towards a biobased economy has placed pressure on plastic producers to seek alternatives to their oil based plastic products. Biobased PLA technology from Purac allows for the creation of high performance PLA homopolymers which can deliver peak heat resistance of up to 120°C (HDT B). This brings considerable benefits to a range of demanding market segments, including consumer electronics, high heat packaging, automotive interiors, automotive under-the-hood components, apparel and non-wovens.

To accelerate further the market introduction of this next generation PLA, Purac decided to offer a range of specially developed high performance resins to the market. The range includes:

- PLLA homopolymer resins with high stereochemical purity: available in a range of viscosities, specially developed for film extrusion, thermoforming, film blowing, fiber spinning, compounding and injection molding applications.

- PDLA homopolymer resins with high stereochemical purity: available as a nucleating agent for PLLA homopolymer resins. PDLA, when combined with PLLA, will yield a compound suitable for injection molding or thermoforming that shows both an excellent heat performance and a reduction in the processing cycle time.

- PLA compounded blends, containing PLLA and PDLA homopolymers, that have been specifically developed for injection molding and extrusion. These blends have a heat performance similar to traditional PS, PP and ABS.

The PLA resins and blends are available from Purac for sampling and product evaluation purposes. Industrial scale PLA product evaluations will also be supported and supplied directly by Purac. For ongoing commercial quantities of PLA resins, Purac will bring interested parties in direct contact with its strategic PLA supply partners.

Purac's Application Development Team is ready to support technical enquiries related to PLLA, PDLA and PLA compounded blends for any application.