Review on Production, Properties, and Applications of Poly(lactic acid) Fibers

There is a high demand in the textile industries for environment friendly processes with minimum wastewater generation. In addition, the reduction of oil reservoirs has led to an increased interest in production of biodegradable polymers from renewable natural recourses like plants. Poly lactic-acid (PLA), the fist synthetic fier produced from renewable materials, combines ecological advantages with excellent performance for textile application. PLA actually fils the gap between synthetic and natural fiers and has found a wide range of applications, from medical and pharmaceutical applications to environmentally benign fim and fiers for packaging, and clothing. In recent research studies, PLA nanofiers have been used as a new system for drug delivery. PLA has found a growing demand in textile industries as a result of its renewable source origin, ease of melt spinning and process-ability and ease of composting and recycle-ability. This review provides an up-to-date information about production, properties, performance and applications of PLA fiers.