Optical constants of (C3H4O2)n (Polylactic acid, PLA)
Bodurov et al. 2016: PDLA; n 0.405–0.635 µm
Wavelength:
µm
(0.405–0.635)
Complex refractive index (n+ik)
n
k
LogX
LogY
eV
Derived optical constants
Dispersion formula
$$n^2-1=\frac{0.9809λ^2}{λ^2-0.2123719^2}$$Conditions & Spec sheet
n_is_absolute: false wavelength_is_vacuum: false temperature: 24 °C film_thickness: 45e-6 substrate: glass
Comments
PDLA. 45-μm film on glass substrate. 24 °C.
References
I. Bodurov, I. Vlaeva, A. Viraneva, T. Yovcheva, S. Sainov. Modified design of a laser refractometer, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology 16, 31-33 (2016)
Data
INFO
Polylactic acid, (C3H4O2)n
Polylactic acid (PLA, (C3H4O2)n) is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic derived from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane. It has captured significant attention due to its compostability under industrial conditions, positioning it as an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics. PLA is utilized in a multitude of applications ranging from food packaging to biomedicine, such as drug delivery systems and surgical implants. In the realm of optics, PLA is typically transparent, with a refractive index that can be influenced by factors like crystallinity and processing methods. Though its mechanical strength is comparable to that of polystyrene, PLA has a lower melting temperature, which can limit its use in certain high-temperature applications. Nevertheless, due to its biocompatibility and environmentally friendly nature, polylactic acid continues to be a material of interest for both research and commercial purposes.Other names
- Poly(lactic acid)
- Polylactide
- PLA
Variations
- PLA: Polylactide
- PDLA: Poly-D-lactide
- PLLA: Poly-L-lactide
- PDLLA: Poly-DL-lactide