Polylactic acid is on fire this year.
First, at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics at the beginning of the year, Anhui Fengyuan’s polylactic acid tableware was put into use, attracting close attention from the public; and then in 2022/2023 China At the release of fiber fashion trends, “Lemon Tree” hollow polylactic acid fiber and “Green Lun” soft and anti-aging two-component composite polylactic acid fiber were officially released, and have been widely used by downstream brands; developed by Jiangsu Fuzhidao Meian Textile Technology Co., Ltd. The “Key Technology and Industrialization of Differentiated Functional Polylactic Acid Fibers” project undertaken by the company was identified by the China Textile Industry Federation as the overall technology reaching the international advanced level; Anhui Tongguang Bangfei Biotechnology Co., Ltd. successfully passed the review and became the first company to obtain the ” A polylactic acid fiber enterprise certified by “Green Fiber”…
Polylactic acid is a bio-based material that is currently relatively mature in industrialization. It is made from renewable plant resources such as corn and cassava or crop straws. and other raw materials, using modern biological fermentation technology to produce highly optically pure and highly chemically pure lactic acid, which is then dehydrated to produce highly optically pure lactide, and then the biopolymer material is made of ring-opening polymerization of lactide, which is biologically safe. , biodegradability and other advantages. Currently, under the guidance of the country’s new development concept and the “double carbon” goal, green development has become a new highlight in my country’s economic development. As a landmark product for the green development of the textile chemical fiber industry, bio-based chemical fibers are an important part of my country’s emerging strategic materials field. Among them, polylactic acid fiber is a bio-based degradable material with mature industrialization and wide application. In the past two years, it has been widely used in textile industry. The downstream market has achieved relatively rapid development.
Polylactic acid fiber has been widely used
“Polylactic acid degradable windbreaker”, “Polylactic acid environmentally friendly sweatpants” and “Polylactic acid antibacterial bedding four-piece set” “… Browsing on shopping websites, the reporter found that many textile and clothing brands have launched polylactic acid series products.
Based on the friendliness of polylactic acid fiber to human skin, as well as the moisture-conducting, quick-drying, lightweight and warm-keeping, fluffy and soft functions brought by special shaped cross-section fibers, it will be widely used in sports and leisure clothing, school uniforms, etc. A series of clothing textiles such as underwear, home furnishings, baby clothing, gloves and socks, thermal clothing, etc. At the same time, its natural antibacterial, antimite, mildew, and flame retardant properties are also suitable for decorative textiles, including carpets, sofa covers, curtains, towels, bath towels, bed sheets, quilt covers, quilt tops, pillow cores, quilt cores, and hotel cloths. Grass and a series of products such as outdoor carpets, tents, and jackets.
Yuyue Home Textile Co., Ltd. has included the development of polylactic acid fiber series products in the company’s key product development strategy in 2019. After several years of research and development, it has now developed four pieces of corn quilts, shirts, mats, and bedding. Covers, curtains, blankets and a series of products, these products are antibacterial and mite-proof, moisture-absorbent and breathable, skin-friendly and comfortable, and biodegradable, and have been highly recognized by the market.
“Under the current dual-carbon background, the development of green products is the general trend. Yuyue Home Textiles has also been adjusting the industrial structure and deploying new green fibers. Polylactic acid fiber is biodegradable, antibacterial, anti-mite, flame retardant and reduces smoke. , UV resistance and other characteristics well meet the company’s strategic requirements for the development of new fibers.” Wen Hongjie, director of the Textile Design Department of Yuyue Home Textiles, said that in the future, the company will focus on developing polylactic acid home textile series and clothing series based on market demand and the company’s characteristics. , kitchen and bathroom series, household hygiene products and infant products series, medical supplies and military-civilian integration series products, etc.
Polylactic acid fiber is also widely used in industrial textiles and can be used in facial masks, cotton towels, dry/wet wipes, baby diapers and girls’ hygiene products, also suitable for medical and health fields, such as masks, protective clothing, protective caps, protective foot covers, disposable medical mattresses, disposable sanitary products, air filters, etc.
The current application field of the soft and anti-aging two-component composite polylactic acid fiber researched and developed by Suzhou Jinquan New Materials Co., Ltd. is sanitary materials. Since its introduction to the market in 2020, the fiber has doubled sales and volume. Through the advancement of fiber processing technology, the shortcomings of polylactic acid fiber such as hard feel, poor heat resistance, and difficulty in dyeing have been gradually improved. Currently, polylactic acid fiber will be focused on application and promotion in the clothing market and other fields.
Runyi (Jiaxing) New Materials Co., Ltd. has focused on the development of polylactic acid fiber products for 15 years and has developed more than 30 patented technologies. Shang Jia, the relevant person in charge of the company, said that the company has continuously developed polylactic acid fiber functional bedding and bedding, home leisure, underwear, shirts and T-shirts, deodorant socks, etc., which are all innovative products that lead the trend of personal wear and health.
Modification research to improve the performance of polylactic acid fiber
Although polylactic acid fiber has excellent properties, it also has poor dyeability and toughness. Therefore, some scientific research institutions and enterprises are actively improving the comprehensive properties of polylactic acid fiber through modification.
Wang Bin, associate professor at the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, introduced that in order to increase the added value of polylactic acid fiber, the technical team of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology studied heat-resistant three-dimensional composite fibers and three-dimensional crimped fibers. , antibacterial and anti-UV fiber, waterproof and moisture-permeable fiber membrane, and high-efficiency and low-resistance PLA melt-blown cloth with antibacterial protection properties, and based on this, different styles of polylactic acid fabrics and textiles have been developed.
Jiangsu Fuzhidao Meian Textile Technology Co., Ltd. innovatively developed differentiated functional polylactic acid fiber through composite modification, which increased the melting point of polylactic acid fiber by nearly 50°C and overcame the key to dope coloring. Technology has solved the dyeing problem. The color fastness to soaping, washing and rubbing of the developed colored polylactic acid fiber are all ≥4 levels, which is significantly better than the traditional dyeing process.
The localization of raw material technology will promote the rapid development of the industry
In fact, polylactic acid fiber is not a new variety, it already has half of the It has a production history of more than a century, but its current actual usage is not large. The immature product application technology and high cost are the main reasons that restrict its development.
Anhui Fengyuan Group has long been deeply involved in the fields of biomaterials and other fields. It has mastered a number of world-leading technologies and is committed to developing the bio-based new material industry. It has opened up the lactic acid fermentation → lactide preparation →Polylactic acid→Nationally produced technology for spinning production. In recent years, Fengyuan Group has relied on its own biotechnology advantages to vigorously develop degradable bio-based materials such as polylactic acid, and has mastered the entire industry chain technology from using straw as raw material to produce mixed sugar to bio-based materials.
Fan Yaqing, general manager of Anhui Fengyuan Biofiber Co., Ltd., said that in order to open up all links of polylactic acid in the textile field and expand the application scope of polylactic acid materials in the textile field, Anhui Fengyuan has built a polylactic acid production plant with an annual output of 5,000 tons. Fiber production demonstration line, polylactic acid filament production test line with an annual output of 1,000 tons, polylactic acid cigarette tow demonstration line with an annual output of 200 tons, etc., have successively cooperated with Sunshine Group, Xtep Company, Jifa Group, Yuyue Home Textiles, Yueda Textile, Puyang Yurun, Jiangyin Yuyuan and other companies have jointly developed polylactic acid knitted and woven fabrics, as well as cashmere scarves, windproof jackets, four-piece bedding sets, pillows, quilts, shirts, underwear, sportswear and other clothing and apparel, home textiles and home furnishings, Home decoration, as well as hygiene materials and other terminal polylactic acid products.
Currently, driven by the global plastic ban and restrictions, polylactic acid has become an investment hotspot. In 2021, my country’s polylactic acid production capacity will be 425,000 tons. At present, the company has 580,000 tons of polylactic acid projects under construction and more than 1 million tons of planned projects. In the future, the localization of polylactic acid raw materials will drive the rapid growth of polylactic acid fibers.
Keywords:
Polylactic acid, green economy, corn fiber
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