Effect of Drawing Conditions on Crystal Structure and Mechanical Properties of Melt-Spun Polylactic Acid Fibers

• Published in: Fibers and polymers Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 483 - 488
• Main Authors: Noh, Seungchan, Jung, Wuchang, Sim, Seungbum, Son, HyunSik, Choi, Jae-Hak, Koo, Jaseung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Korean Fiber Society 01.02.2023; Springer Nature B.V; 한국섬유공학회
• Subjects: Biodegradability; Bioplastics; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal structure; Crystallization; Draw ratio; Fibers; Fourier transforms; Heat resistance; Mechanical properties; Melt spinning; Melt temperature; Necking; Polyester resins; Polylactic acid; Polymer Sciences; Process parameters; Regular Article; Tensile strength; Thermal resistance; Thermodynamic properties; 섬유공학; X-ray diffraction; Melt spinning; Drawing condition; Tensile strength; Polylactic acid fibers
• ISSN: 1229-9197; 1875-0052
• DOI: 10.1007/s12221-023-00091-1

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biomass-based, eco-friendly, and biodegradable aliphatic polyester. Compared to aromatic polyesters, PLA is not suitable for applications that require high strength and heat resistance. In this study, the extrusion parameters of the melt-spinning process of PLA, namely, the godet temperature (95 and 100 °C), draw ratio (2.0–4.0), and take-up speed (4000–4400 m/min) were optimized. As the draw ratio and take-up speed of the fiber increased, the tensile strength and melting temperature increased owing to orientation-induced crystallization until necking of the fibers occurred. The properties of the PLA fibers were measured using X-ray diffraction, a universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The maximum crystallinity achieved in the PLA fiber was 84.76%. The tensile strength of the fiber was increased from 86.25 to 124.06 MPa and the melting temperature was increased from 149.51 to 155.14 °C. Therefore, it is concluded that understanding the correlation between the process parameters and fibers and combining them appropriately facilitates the control of the mechanical and thermal properties of the PLA fiber.