PLA Nonwoven Textiles & Nonwoven Machine

 

Safeguarding the environment has become one of the paramount concerns for humanity in the contemporary era. While rubber, plastic, and synthetic fibers are intricately intertwined with human existence, their non-biodegradable nature results in hazardous white pollution. To combat this issue, the quest for eco-friendly alternatives in the form of biodegradable polymers and allied commodities has been underway since the 1960s. Amongst these, Polylactic Acid (PLA), a newly-industrialized material from the late 1990s, stands out as one of the most auspicious solutions.

Polylactic acid (PLA), a novel biomaterial derived from renewable resources, has found extensive utility across the domains of fashion, architecture, and healthcare. In terms of production, the worldwide capacity for PLA manufacture stands at a staggering 400,000 metric tons as of 2020. On the consumption front, the global polylactic acid market size exceeded USD 660.8 million in 2019, with its versatile applications prompting a projected CAGR growth of 7.5% during 2021-2026. As per market analyses, the global polylactic acid (PLA) industry is poised to burgeon to USD 1.1 billion by 2026, attesting to its immense commercial potential.

PLA nonwoven textiles demonstrate immense potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional fabrics in the contemporary epoch. Most prevalent nonwoven fabrics incorporate petrochemical fibers, which constitute non-renewable, non-degradable, and environmentally hazardous raw materials. In stark contrast, PLA boasts of exceptional biodegradability, biocompatibility, thermal stability, solvent resistance, and ease of processing, amongst other attributes. In the natural milieu, aided by the symbiosis of bacteria and water, PLA nonwovens undergo complete decomposition into innocuous byproducts such as water and carbon dioxide, thus circumventing the issue of "white pollution." Additionally, its key constituent, lactic acid, can be procured abundantly through fermentation of food crops such as corn, enabling a breakaway from conventional oil-based materials, thus rendering it an eco-friendly and renewable resource. In this way, PLA nonwovens outstrip conventional fabrics in terms of ecological impact and resource efficiency. (SUNTECH nonwoven machine)

PLA emerges as a preeminent biomaterial owing to its exceptional mechanical properties such as high strength and modulus, facilitating its processing and production through conventional techniques such as extrusion, melt spinning, liquid spinning, and blow molding. PLA nonwoven textiles showcase a gamut of characteristics including softness, superior adsorption, moisturization, breathability, and antibacterial properties. Moreover, these fabrics embody a premium quality with traits such as purity, safety, hygiene, and skin-friendliness, possessing a unique biological composition unmatched by other substrates, thereby constituting an ideal substrate for the manufacture of high-quality facial masks.

The diverse applicability of PLA nonwoven fabrics encompasses a broad range of domains, including but not limited to the production of sterilization wraps, masks, diapers, wipes, facial towels, beauty products, sanitary napkins, pads, and disposable hygiene products. The production process of PLA nonwoven textiles entails various steps such as polymer synthesis, melt extrusion, fiber spinning, web formation, and finishing treatments to impart desirable attributes such as mechanical strength and surface properties.

The raw material utilized in the production of PLA nonwoven textiles is polylactic acid, which is an imperative biodegradable and eco-friendly polymer material among aliphatic polyesters, derived from starch-based resources such as corn and cassava, promoting sustainability and renewability. The production process entails the extraction of glucose from starch-based resources via saccharification, followed by the fermentation of glucose utilizing certain bacterial strains to produce high-purity lactic acid, subsequently synthesizing polylactic acid of a definite molecular weight through chemical synthesis techniques.

PLA nonwoven fabrics are crafted by subjecting PLA fibers with a skin-core architecture to carding techniques, resulting in the formation of a web that is then treated through hot air setting. The bonding process in the hot air setting is categorized into four stages, namely heat transfer, flow, diffusion, and pressurized cooling.

During the melting process of PLA, as the temperature escalates, the polymer undergoes melting and flow, accompanied by diffusion, eventually leading to the bonding of fiber intersections. Upon cooling, the molten polymers transform into a solid-state and develop into a spatially defined three-dimensional bonding arrangement, taking the form of dots.

As the PLA nonwoven production technology is relatively new, it requires more complexity compared to the traditional spunbond technology. Hence, if you desire to produce high-standard PLA nonwoven fabrics, it is imperative to choose equipment that is specifically designed for such a purpose.

SUNTECH Textile Machinery, a professional brand under Strength Machinery, specializes in nonwoven manufacturing machines and finished product machines that include spunbond, spunmelt, meltblown, spunlace, baby care, feminine care, adult incontinence, and mask machines. Our advanced STair and STeco technology provide an integrated approach to technology and manufacturing, offering high speed, stability, efficiency, and automation, making us the go-to choice for top-quality machinery equipment.

Today, with over 4500 satisfied customers globally and collaborating with over 100 countries, we have acquired a reliable reputation among our customers worldwide, providing top-quality machinery equipment in a wide range of industries, such as textile, hygiene, and health.

SUNTECH Textile Machinery is committed to safeguarding our planet's ecological balance, and has devoted significant time and resources to the study of PLA technology. Our company has successfully integrated this technology into our spunbond nonwoven production lines. We have undertaken extensive research into common problems associated with PLA nonwoven production, and have made improvements to our equipment at the design stage to overcome these issues. Our PLA spunbond non-woven machine is designed using cutting-edge technology, and produces a fine and uniform material. This leads to improved utilization of PLA raw materials, ensuring the nonwoven possesses excellent filtering and permeability properties, while minimizing downtime. Our aim is to help our clients achieve efficient and high-quality production of PLA nonwoven. If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always ready to be your trusted partner in development, committed to empowering your success.