PLA and PLA+: Properties, Applications, Differences

PLA and PLA+ are the commonly used terminology in the context of 3D printing and manufacturing. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable resources, typically corn starch or sugarcane. It is frequently utilized in medical implants, disposable dishes, packaging materials, 3D printing, and other applications. Because PLA can break down into natural components in industrial composting facilities, it is preferred for its environmentally benign qualities. Its less impact on the environment makes it a popular choice over conventional polymers derived from petroleum.

PLA+ is PLA’s modified version. PLA+ usually adds additives to improve its mechanical qualities, such as greater strength, flexibility, or heat resistance compared to conventional PLA, though the precise composition may vary depending on the manufacturer. Because of these improvements, PLA+ works better in situations where normal PLA might not, as in higher-stress settings or for items that need to be more durable.

Both PLA and PLA+ remain widely used in 3D printing due to their versatility, biodegradability, and compatibility with a wide range of 3D printers.

What is PLA (Polylactic acid)?

• One kind of biodegradable thermoplastic made from renewable resources like maize starch, sugarcane, or other plant-based components is called polylactic acid (PLA). It is a member of the polyester family and is made by polymerizing molecules of lactic acid that are extracted from plant sugars that have undergone fermentation.
• PLA is a flexible material that may be operated in a number of ways, such as extrusion, injection molding, and 3D printing. It can be shaped into many different things, like as consumer goods, disposable dinnerware, medical implants, and packaging materials.
• Because PLA has a number of noteworthy benefits over other popular FDM filaments, it is employed in 3D printing. These characteristics are what determine the choice of a large percentage of all tiny FDM prints. The wide temperature tolerance and intra-layer bonding of PLA are among these advantageous characteristics. The capacity of freshly extruded plastic to mix effectively with previously cooled plastic is known as intra-layer bonding. Smoother surfaces are the outcome of improved blending between strands and layers due to good intra-layer bonding. The material is particularly forgiving to print on because this bonding is difficult to break with machine settings. PLA may be used on the greatest range of machines due to its good tolerance to a large range of extruder temperatures.
• PLA is a material used in fused deposition modeling (FDM), a type of 3D printing. Three-dimensional objects are created by fused layers formed by the extrusion of molten filament. Good cosmetic outcomes can be achieved even with minimal machine tweaking or expertise thanks to PLA.
• The biodegradability of PLA is one of its biggest benefits. PLA can decompose over time into natural chemicals like carbon dioxide and water when disposed of properly, such as in industrial composting facilities, leaving no toxic residues behind. Because of this characteristic, PLA is a more environmentally friendly material than traditional plastics, which have a hundreds-year environmental half-life.
• Overall, PLA represents a promising alternative to conventional plastics, offering a combination of biodegradability, renewability, and versatility that aligns with the growing demand for more sustainable materials in various industries.

Properties of PLA (Polylactic acid)

• Biodegradability: The biodegradability of PLA is one of its most remarkable characteristics. When the correct conditions are met, such as in commercial composting facilities, it can be broken down by microbes into natural chemicals like water and carbon dioxide. Because of this characteristic, PLA is a more environmentally friendly plastic than conventional plastics derived from petroleum.
• Renewable Sourcing: Corn starch, sugarcane, and other plant-based ingredients are the sources of PLA. PLA may be sourced and produced responsibly, lowering reliance on non-renewable resources, in contrast to petroleum-based polymers, which depend on limited fossil fuel supplies.
• Superior Mechanical Properties: PLA has respectable stiffness and tensile strength, among other mechanical qualities. PLA can be utilized for a range of load-bearing applications even though it isn’t as strong as some petroleum-based plastics like ABS.
• Low Melting Temperature: PLA is more easily processed and appropriate for use in 3D printing applications because it has a lower melting temperature than some other thermoplastics.
• Low Toxicity: PLA is regarded as non-toxic and safe to use in contact with food and drink, which makes it appropriate for use in utensils, disposable cups, and food packaging, among other applications.
• Biocompatibility: PLA has been found to be biocompatible and is authorized for use in medical applications, including implanted devices, medication delivery systems, and sutures. Because of its physiological compatibility, it can be used in biomedical settings where non-toxicity and biodegradability are crucial.
• Transparency and Gloss: PLA may be produced with a high degree of gloss and transparency, which makes it appropriate for uses where aesthetics are crucial, like display cases or consumer product packaging.
• Versatility: PLA’s versatility allows it to be processed in a number of ways, such as injection molding, extrusion, and 3D printing. It can be shaped into many different things, such as consumer goods, textiles, medical implants, disposable dinnerware, and packaging materials.

Application of PLA (Polylactic acid)

• Compostable and biodegradable packaging materials, including films, bags, clamshells, cups, and trays, are made from PLA. These materials provide an environmentally benign substitute for conventional petroleum-based plastics in the packaging of food, consumer goods, and other products.
• PLA can be used in electronics manufacturing for applications such as protective casings, housings, and accessories. Its biodegradability and renewable sourcing make it an attractive option for environmentally friendly electronics components.
• In the food service sector, disposable plates, bowls, cups, utensils, and food containers made of PLA are becoming more and more common. These products are an environmentally responsible option for single-use items because they are compostable and biodegradable.
• Products made of PLA are used in horticulture for mulch films, plant pots, seed trays, and nursery containers, among other things. These goods offer a more environmentally friendly substitute for traditional plastic gardening items.
• PLA’s low melting temperature, biodegradability, and ease of usage make it one of the most widely used materials in 3D printing. Prototypes, product models, architectural models, instructional materials, and specially designed things can all be made with it.
• Textiles made from PLA fibers can be spun and used to make shoes, clothes, and other textile goods. Because of their moisture-wicking, breathable, and biodegradable qualities, PLA-based textiles are a good choice for eco-friendly clothing and outdoor gear.
• Biodegradable medical implants, including sutures, screws, pins, plates, and drug delivery devices, are made with PLA. Because of its biocompatibility and gradual, harmless breakdown in the body, it can be used in medicinal applications that call for regulated drug release or temporary support.
• PLA is utilized in the production of many different consumer products, such as toys, stationery, packaging for cosmetics, and household goods. Environmentally aware consumers find it appealing due to its biodegradability and renewable supply.
• PLA can be processed to produce coatings and thin films for a variety of uses, such as coatings for paper and cardboard products, agricultural mulches, and biodegradable packaging films.

Advantages and Limitations of PLA (Polylactic acid)

Some of the advantages of PLA are:

• Biodegradable
• Renewable sourcing
• Versatile
• Low toxicity
• Biocompatible
• Ease of processing

Some of the limitations of PLA are:

• Limited heat resistance
• Brittleness
• Moisture sensitivity
• Longer degradation time
• Cost
• Limited chemical resistance

What is PLA+?

• PLA+ is an enhanced version of PLA (Polylactic Acid). PLA+ is primarily made from polylactic acid, a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic derived from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane.
• It typically contains additives or modifiers that improve its strength, flexibility, and durability, among other performance attributes compared to standard PLA. While manufacturers may use other additives, polymers like ABS or PETG are frequently used.
• Certain drawbacks of regular PLA are overcome by PLA+. Compared to PLA, it is more flexible, ductile, and strong. Because of this, PLA+ is excellent for parts that need to be strong enough to support loads. PLA+ is more temperature-tolerant than regular PLA. Because of this feature, PLA+ can be used in hotter service settings. Because the surface of PLA+ printed parts is less porous and rougher than that of normal PLA-printed parts, they also typically have a smoother surface and better overall appearance.
• PLA+ is frequently selected for applications—such as mechanical parts, functional prototypes, or items exposed to elevated temperatures or stresses—where ordinary PLA may not provide enough performance.
• In summary, PLA+ is a modified version of PLA filament with enhanced properties such as increased strength, flexibility, and printability, making it a popular choice for 3D printing applications where improved performance is required.

Properties of PLA+

• Composition: Polylactic acid, a biodegradable thermoplastic generated from renewable resources like maize starch or sugarcane, makes up the majority of PLA+’s composition. Contrary to conventional polymers made from fossil fuels, PLA is environmentally benign and, given the correct circumstances, may be composted in an industrial setting.
• Flexibility: When compared to ordinary PLA, PLA+ frequently demonstrates higher ductility and flexibility. Because of this property, it is less likely to break or crack when under stress, providing printed components and prototypes with increased durability. Additionally, the increased flexibility makes post-processing tasks like drilling and sanding simpler and reduces the chance of brittleness.
• Temperature Resistance: PLA+ demonstrates better heat resistance than PLA, which has a glass transition temperature of only 60–65°C. Because of its improved temperature resistance, printed PLA+ components can survive greater temperatures without softening or deforming, increasing its potential applications in hot, humid settings.
• Environmental Factors: PLA+ is a more environmentally friendly substitute for conventional plastics since, like ordinary PLA, it is biodegradable and made from renewable resources. However, depending on the precise additives and production techniques employed, PLA+ may have different environmental effects. Customers should confirm that products meet environmental certifications and compostability requirements.
• Increased Strength: One of PLA+’s distinctive advantages over regular PLA is its increased strength. The use of different chemicals throughout the filament manufacturing process results in this improvement. Increased impact resistance and tensile strength are benefits of these additives, which can include polymers like PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).
• Printability: PLA+ is well-known for having outstanding printability, which makes it appropriate for a variety of 3D printing uses. It usually produces prints that are smoother and more accurate because of its strong layer adhesion and low warping. Furthermore, compared to regular PLA, PLA+ filaments frequently offer a broader ideal printing temperature range, giving customers more freedom to modify print parameters for the best possible outcomes.
• Compatibility: A wide range of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers may use PLA+ filaments, ensuring their accessibility to a large user base. PLA+ can be used for a wide range of tasks, including educational applications, functional part manufacture, hobbyist projects, and prototyping.
• Cost: Because PLA+ filaments require additional additives and go through additional manufacturing steps, they may be slightly more expensive than PLA standard filaments. For applications that call for greater strength, flexibility, or temperature resistance, PLA+’s improved qualities and performance might, however, outweigh the higher price.

Application of PLA+

• Because PLA+ is inexpensive, easy to use, and can create precise, detailed prototypes, it is frequently utilized for rapid prototyping in product design and development. Because of its superior strength and endurance over regular PLA, it can be used to test working prototypes prior to full production.
• PLA+ is widely used to teach 3D printing concepts and technologies in educational contexts, such as makerspaces and schools. Its environmental friendliness, safety, and convenience of use make it the perfect resource for exposing kids to additive manufacturing techniques.
• Medical applications for PLA+ filaments include making anatomical models for surgical planning and education, orthotics, and personalized prosthetics. It can be sanitized and is biocompatible, which makes it appropriate for some medical-grade uses.
• PLA+ is a popular material used by cosplayers and costume designers to create props, armor, and costume accessories since it’s lightweight, easy to finish, and can be painted or polished to simulate metallic finishes.
• PLA+ is a good material to use for making functional parts and components for a range of applications because of its increased strength and flexibility. These could be hardware used in engineering, manufacturing, or do-it-yourself projects, such as brackets, fixtures, and mechanical parts.
• PLA+ is frequently used by designers and artists to produce complex and eye-catching models, sculptures, and other works of art. Its broad color selection and ability to create prints with precision and smoothness enable artistic expression in a variety of mediums.
• Food packaging materials including trays, cups, and containers are made of PLA+, a biodegradable polymer created from renewable resources. It is a sustainable substitute for conventional plastics made from petroleum because of its environmentally favorable qualities and capacity to break down in composting facilities.
• Additionally, PLA+ is employed in programs that support sustainability and lessen the usage of plastic. It can be used, for instance, to create biodegradable goods that can replace traditional plastics, such as packaging materials, bioplastic bags, and disposable silverware.

Advantages and Limitations of PLA+

Some of the advantages of PLA+ are:

• Enhanced strength
• Flexibility
• Improved printability
• Wide temperature range
• Biodegradability
• Versatility

Some of the limitations of PLA+ are:

• High cost
• Temperature resistance
• Moisture sensitivity
• Compatibility issues
• Limited chemical resistance

Differences between PLA and PLA+

• Composition
  • PLA: PLA, or polylactic acid, is a biodegradable thermoplastic made from sugarcane or maize starch, two renewable resources. It is renowned for being biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
  • PLA+: PLA+, or Polylactic Acid Plus, is made from the same fundamental substance as PLA and is likewise sourced from renewable sources. It does, however, contain extra ingredients to improve its qualities, such as more flexibility and strength.
• Surface comparison
  • PLA: Because PLA is printed via extrusion, the surface roughness of the printed parts is quite rough. Post-processing is the only way to obtain glossy, smooth surfaces on PLA components.
  • PLA+: The surfaces of PLA+ printed objects are often glossier and smoother.
• Flexibility
  • PLA: PLA filament has a limited degree of flexibility and is typically brittle and rigid.
  • PLA+: PLA+ filament offers greater resistance to cracking or snapping under stress and is generally more flexible and ductile than regular PLA. Because of its flexibility, PLA+ is better suited for applications that require some degree of bending or deformation.
• Strength and durability
  • PLA: While standard PLA filament is reasonably strong, it can also be brittle, which increases the likelihood of it breaking or shattering under pressure.
  • PLA+: Compared to regular PLA, PLA+ filament is designed to be stronger and more durable. Because of its increased impact resistance and tensile strength, it is a better fit for applications that need for sturdy prototypes or parts.
• Temperature resistance
  • PLA: PLA’s usefulness for high-temperature applications is limited by its comparatively low glass transition temperature (60–65°C).
  • PLA+: Printed parts may survive greater temperatures without softening or deforming since PLA+ has better temperature resistance than regular PLA. PLA+’s increased temperature tolerance broadens its potential applications.
• Printability
  • PLA: PLA filament has a reputation for being highly printable, with little warping and strong layer adhesion.
  • PLA+: Compared to regular PLA, PLA+ filament frequently has higher printability properties, such as increased layer adhesion and decreased warping while printing. As a result, prints come out more accurately and smoothly with fewer printing problems.
• Part accuracy comparison
  • PLA: In comparison to PLA+, PLA-printed items often have poorer dimensional precision. Parts created using a fused deposition model printer shrink with cooling.
  • PLA+: The dimensional accuracy of PLA+ filaments is around +0.03 mm, whereas normal PLA has an average of +0.05 mm.
• Cost
  • PLA: Compared to specialized filaments like PLA+, standard PLA filament is typically less expensive.
  • PLA+: Because PLA+ filament requires extra additives and manufacturing steps to improve its qualities, it is typically a little more expensive than PLA filament.
• Biodegradability
  • PLA: Because PLA is made from plant materials like cornstarch and sugarcane, it is more biodegradable than PLA+.
  • PLA+: PLA+ is likewise biodegradable. However, PLA+ might not be as environmentally benign as regular PLA due to the chemicals used to produce it.
• Toxicity: PLA+ is not hazardous even though it contains additives that aren’t found in regular PLA. This is because non-toxic elastomers like TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) are employed as additives in PLA+. Thus, PLA and PLA+ have almost the same levels of toxicity.
• Application
  • PLA: PLA filament is frequently utilized for a variety of 3D printing uses, such as hobby projects, educational initiatives, prototypes, and ornamental objects.
  • PLA+: PLA+ filament is recommended for uses requiring increased strength, flexibility, and durability, such as the manufacturing of mechanical components, functional parts, and applications needing better resistance to temperature changes.

In conclusion, PLA and PLA+ are identical in terms of their base material and environmentally beneficial qualities; however, PLA+ is superior to normal PLA filament in terms of strength, flexibility, printability, and temperature resistance. Because of these distinctions, PLA+ is a better fit for demanding applications that demand higher performance standards.

References

• https://www.xometry.com/resources/3d-printing/pla-3d-printing-filament/
• https://www.xometry.com/resources/pla-vs-pla-plus/#
• https://www.filament-pm.com/article/what-s-the-pla-39
• https://store.anycubic.com/blogs/3d-printing-guides/pla-vs-pla-plus-the-difference
• https://all3dp.com/2/pla-vs-pla-3d-printer-filament-compared/