101: Sustainable Additive Manufacturing with PHA/PLA Blends

Plastic materials designed as stable compounds with low degradability create serious environmental problems. Long-lasting plastic packaging helps protect consumer goods but creates a one-way path from production to trash, with global recycling rates at only 9%. Biopolymers offer a solution by working well while breaking down faster.

One biodegradable option was poly(lactic acid) (PLA). We also studied polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), which microorganisms produced. PHA broke down much faster than PLA (3–9 months instead of several years) but wasn’t as strong. PHA also costs more, creating tradeoffs between environmental benefits and price.

We tested different PHA/PLA blends to measure their strength and thermal stability. Our tests included Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) for strength measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify chemical structures and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to check how well the polymers mixed and at what temperatures they changed properties.

3D printing helps advance these materials for medical devices and other products where a controlled breakdown is helpful. The best PHA/PLA blend could work well in Amazon facilities and other places where long-term durability isn’t essential. Using these blends promotes more sustainable and eco-friendly options for modern industries.