What is PLA color masterbatch? Analysis of the Characteristics of PLA Masterbatch!

PLA color masterbatch is a functional masterbatch made by uniformly dispersing a high proportion of pigments (or dyes) and auxiliary dispersants with polylactic acid (PLA) as the carrier resin. It is specifically used to color PLA substrates (such as PLA plastics, PLA fibers, PLA films, etc.) while maintaining the properties of PLA materials (especially biodegradability).

Analysis of Core Features

The particularity of carrier resin

The carriers of common color masterbatches are mostly traditional plastics such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), while the carrier of PLA color masterbatches is polylactic acid (PLA) - a bio-based degradable material made from the fermentation of renewable plant starches such as corn and sugarcane. This feature enables it to be perfectly compatible with PLA substrates, avoiding poor dispersion and performance conflicts (such as damage to degradability) caused by the mismatch between the carrier and the substrate material.

Functional positioning

The core function is to provide uniform and stable color for PLA products without affecting the biodegradability of PLA. For example:

It is used for PLA packaging films (such as food bags and shopping bags), and is given specific colors to meet brand or application requirements;

It is used for PLA tableware, toys, etc., and enhances the appearance appeal of the products through coloring.

It is used for PLA fibers (such as textile fabrics) to achieve dyeing effects.

Compatibility requirements

As PLA is a material with relatively low thermal stability (processing temperature is usually between 170 and 200℃) and is sensitive to moisture, special requirements must be met during the production of PLA color masterbatches:

The pigments should be selected as high-temperature resistant (suitable for PLA processing temperature) and migration-resistant types to avoid fading and bleeding after coloring.

The dispersant must be compatible with PLA to ensure that the pigment is evenly dispersed in the PLA substrate without affecting the mechanical properties of the product (such as toughness and strength).

The entire system must maintain biodegradability, meaning that pigments and additives should not impede the degradation process of PLA in the natural environment (some inorganic pigments or additives may affect degradation and need to be strictly screened).

Application scenarios

PLA masterbatch is mainly used in the field of degradable plastic products, such as:

Coloring of PLA products such as disposable tableware, packaging materials, and agricultural mulching films;

Color customization of biodegradable fibers and 3D printed PLA filaments, etc.

Its value lies in: while endowing PLA products with color diversity, maintaining their core advantages of "environmental friendliness and degradability", and avoiding the destruction of PLA's environmental attributes due to the use of traditional non-degradable color masterbatches.

Jiangsu Meizhilin Nano Technology Co., Ltd. is a technology-intensive nanomaterial manufacturer jointly founded by Shanghai Enxuan Yuan New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. and Yancheng Ruize Masterbatch Co., LTD., which holds a patent for wet grinding technology. The company focuses on the research and development and production of masterbatches for superfine fibers such as PET, PA, PP, PE, and PLA, and also provides technical solutions for functional fiber masterbatches.