The biodegradable nature of Poly lactic Acid (PLA) makes it an ideal replacement for polyolefins in short life cycle hygiene and filtration products. A special melt blown grade PLA from NatureWorks LLC was processed on a pilot scale Melt blowing equipment at the University of Tennessee Nonwovens Research Laboratory (UTNRL). Process air, die to collector distance (DCD) and process temperature were varied in order to produce nonwoven webs with a wide range of properties. The resulting nonwoven webs were tested to determine fiber diameter, tensile strength, peak elongation, hydrostatic head, air permeability, areal weight and fabric thickness. The study showed that the PLA can be successfully processed to produce microfiber nonwovens with a range of useful properties.
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