Dear researchers,
I tried and understood that PLA dissolves well in the solvent mixture of DCM and Ethanol. It also dissolves well in DMF, Acetone, THF and Chloroform efficiently. But does anyone here knows a green solvent which I can use to dissolve PLA easily and efficiently?
Thank you so much for your timely help.
Hey there Hariharan S Melarcode!
Absolutely, finding green solvents for PLA dissolution is crucial. While PLA is known to dissolve well in solvents like DCM and Ethanol mixtures, as well as DMF, Acetone, THF, and Chloroform, let's explore some greener options.
One good option is **lactic acid** itself, which is the monomer of PLA. It can act as a solvent for PLA, making it both efficient and environmentally friendly.
Another option is **ethyl lactate**, a derivative of lactic acid. It's biodegradable and can efficiently dissolve PLA.
**Ionic liquids** are also worth considering. Although they're not always considered "green" due to concerns about toxicity, some ionic liquids have been developed that are both efficient and more environmentally friendly.
Lastly, **supercritical CO2** is an interesting choice. While it's not a traditional solvent, it can be used in combination with a co-solvent to dissolve PLA effectively. Plus, CO2 is non-toxic and readily available.
So, in summary, while the traditional solvents you mentioned work well, these greener options provide efficient and eco-friendly alternatives for dissolving PLA.
Dear Kaushik Shandilya , I tried dissolving PLA in Ethyl lactate by even heating it at 80℃ but it didn't dissolve at all. I have taken lesser quantity of PLA and this time tried mixing it with Ethyl lactate and ethanol mixture. So far I haven't seen PLA efficiently dissolving in ethyl lactate as you claimed here. Do you have any other procedure which I can use to dissolve PLA in Ethyl lactate? Thanks
Vishal Kr I used 90:10 for DCM: ethanol buddy. Hope this helps.
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