Properties of Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable, bioactive thermoplastic derived from renewable sources such as corn starch or sugarcane. Known for its environmental friendliness, PLA is widely used in 3D printing, disposable packaging, tableware, and medical applications due to its balance of strength, clarity, and processability.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of polylactic acid (PLA) properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).
Click on the button to switch between Metric and Imperial units.
Physical Properties | Metric |
---|---|
Category | Thermoplastic |
Density | 1250 kg/m3 |
Mechanical Properties | Metric |
Ultimate Tensile Strength | 48 - 145 MPa |
Flexural Modulus | 3.7 - 3.8 GPa |
Elongation at Break | 2.5 - 100% |
Thermal Properties | Metric |
Melting Point | 150 - 160 °C |
Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) | 60 - 65 °C |
Unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) A.M. Howatson, P.G. Lun, J.D. Todd, P.D. Engineering Tables and Data. United Kingdom: University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, 2009.