PLA Plastic | Long Glass Fiber Reinforced PLA (PLA-LGF) What is PLA? Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable and eco-friendly polymer plastic, produced via pollution-free processes. PLA can naturally degrade and recycle in the environment, making it an ideal green polymer material and one of the most representative biodegradable plastics. PLA Structure and Heat Resistance The molecular structure of PLA affects its heat resistance, toughness, mechanical strength, degradability, and biocompatibility. PLA has a spiral molecular chain with low activity, resulting in slow crystallization after injection molding and relatively poor heat resistance. During hot processing, ester bonds may break partially, generating terminal carboxyl groups that accelerate thermal degradation. Long Glass Fiber (LGF) Reinforced PLA Reinforcing PLA with long glass fibers (PLA-LGF) improves mechanical strength, rigidity, and heat resistance. The fibers act as skeleton support, restricting polymer chain movement during heating and increasing thermal stability. Types of Fibers for PLA Reinforcement Fibers used for PLA enhancement include: Natural plant fibers: sisal, flax, linen, bamboo, coconut, wood fiber Animal fibers: silk Mineral fibers: basalt fiber Chemical fibers: glass fiber, carbon fiber Glass fiber and carbon fiber are widely used due to their high strength and modulus, while natural fibers are favored for biodegradability and renewable sources. Modified fibers blended with PLA have shown Vicat softening temperatures exceeding 140°C. Compared with Short Fiber (SGF) Long glass fiber reinforced PLA demonstrates superior mechanical properties compared with short fiber (SGF) reinforced PLA. It is more suitable for large structural parts, offering 1–3 times higher toughness and 0.5–1 times greater tensile strength and rigidity. Injection Molding of PLA-LGF Lab & Testing Warehouse & Storage Certification About Xiamen LFT Composite Plastic Co., Ltd. Xiamen LFT Composite Plastic Co., Ltd. specializes in long fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) including PLA