| HS Code | 203422 |
| Chemical Name | Polylactic Acid |
| Material Type | Thermoplastic |
| Renewable Content | 100% biobased |
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | 8 g/10 min (210°C, 2.16 kg) |
| Melting Point | 160-170°C |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 55-60°C |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | 135°C at 0.455 MPa |
| Vicat Softening Point | 150°C |
| Tensile Strength At Yield | 60 MPa |
| Tensile Modulus | 3500 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 3-5% |
| Flexural Modulus | 3600 MPa |
| Notched Izod Impact Strength | 2.5 kJ/m² |
As an accredited Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 4032 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 4032 is supplied in 25 kg net-weight, polyethylene-lined paper bags, palletized and stretch-wrapped for shipping. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loaded with Ingeo PLA 4032 pellets in 25 kg bags on pallets, securely strapped, moisture-protected, approx. 20 MT. |
| Shipping | Ingeo PLA 4032 is a non-hazardous, solid polylactic acid resin shipped as pellets in moisture-barrier bags, lined cartons, or bulk containers. It is not classified as dangerous goods for transport. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area; protect from moisture, heat, and prolonged sunlight. |
| Storage | Store Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 4032 in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, heat, sparks, flames, and strong oxidizers. Keep original containers tightly sealed to prevent moisture absorption and contamination. Maintain temperatures below 50°C (122°F) and avoid high humidity. Control dust, practice good housekeeping, and use first-in, first-out stock rotation. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 12 months from manufacture when stored unopened below 30°C and 50% relative humidity. |
Because the orientation window for Ingeo 4032 sits close to the onset of thermal crystallization, sequential tenter-frame production begins with desiccant drying at 80°C for 4 h–6 h until residual moisture falls below 0.025 wt% (250 ppm). The dryer air dew point is maintained at −40°C or lower. A single-screw extruder with L/D 32:1 and a compression ratio of 2.5:1 feeds a flexible-lip film die set to 0.8 mm; barrel zones are profiled from 180°C near the feed throat to 220°C in the metering section, while the melt temperature at the die is held between 200°C and 210°C. The cast sheet is quenched on a chill roll at 25°C–35°C to suppress spherulitic growth before orientation. Machine-direction drawing is carried out over a slow/fast roll assembly with preheat at 65°C–75°C and a draw ratio of 3.2:1–4.0:1; transverse drawing follows in a tenter with preheat at 70°C–80°C and a draw ratio of 3.5:1–4.5:1. Annealing at 120°C–140°C with 4%–7% width relaxation reduces frozen-in orientation stresses. The practical draw window for this grade is narrow: a surface temperature below 65°C produces cold-draw stress whitening and thickness bands, while a temperature above 78°C before drawing initiates haziness from thermal crystallization. Melt residence time above 15 min at temperatures above 220°C generates lactide reformation and die-lip oligomer deposits, so throughput and backpressure must be balanced. Final film in the 20 µm–40 µm range is tested for tensile behavior under ISO 527-3:2018 and ASTM D882, and for unrestrained linear shrinkage at 100°C under ASTM D1204. Food-contact status for the oriented film is confirmed through the current supplier food-contact notification under U.S. FDA and compliance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, with overall migration verified by EN 1186-1:2002. Industrial compostability of the finished packaging article is assessed under EN 13432:2000 or ASTM D6400-21 at the declared thickness. This segment is a deep-dive zone because the conflict between orientation temperature and crystallization rate creates a processing tolerance of no more than 8°C before haze or stress whitening appears.
| Parameter | Operating range | Failure mode outside range |
|---|---|---|
| Residual moisture | < 250 ppm | Hydrolytic chain scission, melt viscosity drop, surface bubbles |
| Melt temperature at die | 200°C–210°C | Lactide regeneration above 225°C, die-lip oligomer streaks |
| Machine-direction preheat | 65°C–75°C | Cold-draw stress whitening below 65°C, thermal crystallization above 78°C |
| Machine-direction draw ratio | 3.2:1–4.0:1 | Thickness bands, uneven gauge, film breaks |
| Transverse draw ratio | 3.5:1–4.5:1 | Excess frozen-in stress, poor dimensional stability |
| Annealing temperature | 120°C–140°C | Shrinkage above 5% at 100°C, seal jaw sticking |
On board substrates conditioned to 6%–8% moisture, extrusion coating of 4032 onto renewable paperboard uses a 90 mm single-screw extruder with L/D 30:1 and a coat-weight range of 15 g/m²–25 g/m². The melt temperature at the slot die is held between 210°C and 225°C. The paperboard is preheated to 40°C–60°C and corona-treated to a wetting tension above 42 mN/m measured by ASTM D2578. Nip roll pressure is set at 1.5 N/mm²–3.0 N/mm² with a chill roll temperature of 15°C–30°C to quench the PLA layer while preserving board moisture below 7%. Seal initiation in production trials generally begins at 85°C–105°C depending on the thermal history of the coated layer; hot tack strength measured under ASTM F1921 is lower than that of LDPE and narrows above 120°C because the amorphous interface softens but the underlying crystalline domain network is not cohesive under peel. Published 4032-specific hot tack data on paperboard are limited; inline seal strength tests using ASTM F88/F88M-21 are required for each board grade and coating weight. The main process conflict is die-lip oligomer accumulation caused by residual moisture or by melt temperature excursions above 225°C, which increases lactide regeneration and creates white deposits that transfer to the web as coating streaks. Adhesion failure at the board interface is controlled by polar surface treatment, but excessive corona energy above 46 mN/m can burn the fiber surface and reduce mechanical interlocking. Regulatory compliance for this structure is governed by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 for REACH, Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for food-contact migration, and the supplier’s current U.S. FDA Food Contact Notification. Compostability of the coated board is not automatically conferred by the PLA layer; the final article must pass EN 13432:2000 or ASTM D6868-21 for paper-coated structures.
A monoaxially oriented twist-wrap converting line using 4032 film at 25 µm–30 µm thickness begins with razor slitting to widths of 90 mm–110 mm under constant unwind tension of 25 N/m–40 N/m. The film is reverse-printed by flexography using water-based inks; before printing, surface energy is raised to 42 mN/m–44 mN/m and checked by ASTM D2578. Twist retention in 4032-based wraps is evaluated by dead-fold creep after 24 h at 23°C/50% RH; converters generally report higher dead-fold retention than polyethylene but validate against a reference film on the specific wrapping machine. Published 4032-specific dead-fold values are limited, and actual performance depends on axial residual orientation, final film thickness, and ambient humidity. The converting speed is limited more by the thermal sensitivity of the printed surface than by the substrate; contact dryers above 50°C can distort the film because the PLA glass transition begins near 55°C–60°C. The final article complies with EN 13432:2000 for compostability at the declared thickness and with EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 when used for food contact. High-moisture items or weights above the twist film’s dead-fold capacity require heavier gauges or lamination; otherwise the wrap opens after 8 h–12 h under 75% RH as plasticization softens the film.
In five-layer symmetric coextrusion—4032 skin / tie / EVOH / tie / 4032 skin—the melt temperature at the feedblock is limited to 215°C because EVOH degrades at temperatures above 235°C and 4032 begins lactide regeneration above 225°C. The 4032 layer typically constitutes 12%–18% of total thickness in each skin to provide sealant function without dominating tear resistance. Melt-flow data measured under ISO 1133-1:2022 at 210°C/2.16 kg show 4032 at approximately 3.5 g/10 min; the adjacent tie resin and EVOH must be selected so that the viscosity ratio does not exceed 2.5:1, otherwise interfacial instability at the die lip causes wavy sealant thickness bands. The die is set to 0.7 mm–1.0 mm, and the cast web is pinned electrostatically to a chill roll at 20°C–30°C. Seal strength is tested under ASTM F88/F88M-21 after a seal jaw temperature of 95°C–115°C, 0.5 s dwell, and 2.0 N/mm²–3.0 N/mm² jaw pressure. The structure is intended for compostable barrier laminates where EVOH provides oxygen barrier and 4032 provides sealant chemistry with renewable feedstock position. Operation outside the narrow thermal window leads to carbonyl and conjugated double-bond formation in EVOH, visible as amber gels, while the 4032 skins may plate out cyclic lactide on the die. Compliance testing includes overall migration under EN 1186-1:2002, specific migration of lactic acid and lactide under EN 13130-1:2004, and compostability at the final structure thickness under EN 13432:2000. U.S. FDA status is confirmed through the supplier food-contact notification for 4032 and the selected EVOH/tie resins.
Vacuum metallization of 4032 base film requires roll moisture content below 0.3 wt% and a clean chamber pressure below 4.0×10⁻⁴ mbar before aluminum evaporation. The base film is corona-treated to 42 mN/m–46 mN/m and metallized within 72 h of surface treatment because PLA surface polar decay reduces metal adhesion over time. Optical density is held between 2.0 and 2.8; above this range aluminum layer continuity improves but flexural cracking under crease becomes visible. Oxygen transmission rate under ASTM F1927 at 23°C/0% RH and water vapor transmission rate under ASTM F1249 at 38°C/90% RH are measured on metallized and unmetallized samples to establish relative barrier gain. Published 4032-specific values are limited because metallization consistency depends on aluminum thickness uniformity and chamber configuration. The main failure mode is metal adhesion loss after repeated flexing, tested by a crease-and-tape method or by laminating the metallized side and measuring bond strength under ASTM F904. Slip and anti-block additives that migrate to the film surface reduce metal adhesion; converters commonly specify corona treatment plus an adhesion-promoting primer rather than relying on surface energy alone. The resulting laminate is suitable for dry-goods packaging where compostability and moderate barrier are required, but it is not a retort or high-moisture shelf-life solution because PLA loses oxygen barrier above 60% RH and does not provide high-water-vapor barrier without additional coating or coextrusion.
For fresh produce vertical form-fill-seal conversion, 4032 film of 25 µm–35 µm is formed around a forming collar at machine speeds that must be reduced relative to LDPE because PLA has lower hot tack and a higher modulus below 15°C. The cold-set infeed at 2°C–8°C does not embrittle the film below its glass transition but raises required unwind torque; tension is held below 15 N/m to avoid center-lock bag distortion. Seal jaw temperature is set between 95°C and 115°C with dwell 0.8 s–1.2 s; seal cooling before product discharge is required because the PLA seal remains soft near its melting onset. Micro-perforation is specified according to produce respiration: hole diameters of 50 µm–100 µm at densities of 2 holes/cm²–8 holes/cm² are adjusted to maintain equilibrium modified atmosphere without fermentation odor. Oxygen transmission of the 4032 film is measured under ASTM F1927 at 23°C/50% RH; published 4032-specific OTR values for perforated films require testing on the final perforated web. The finished package is evaluated for industrial compostability under EN 13432:2000 at the final film thickness and for food-contact migration under EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011. This application is operationally bounded: high-speed VFFS lines above 80 packages/min generally require tandem or rotary sealing systems because the PLA seal is slower to set than polyethylene; attempts to compensate by raising jaw temperature above 120°C produce seal-stringing and machine downtime.
| Regulation / standard | Scope | Application condition |
|---|---|---|
| Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 | Food-contact plastic materials | Overall migration ≤ 10 mg/dm² by EN 1186-1:2002 |
| U.S. FDA Food Contact Notification | Ingeo 4032 resin | Current supplier FCN letter required; exact notification number not reproduced |
| Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 | REACH Article compliance | SVHC concentration < 0.1 wt% |
| EN 13432:2000 / ASTM D6400-21 | Industrial compostability | Disintegration ≥ 90% in 12 weeks; ecotoxicity pass |
| ASTM D2578 | Wetting tension | ≥ 42 mN/m for printing/metallization |
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Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 4032, commercial designation Ingeo 4032D, is a high-molecular-weight thermoplastic polyester produced from plant-derived sugars via lactide ring-opening polymerization and is specified for biaxially oriented film and downstream converting operations. The grade is distinguished from general-purpose PLA by a controlled D-isomer range and a melt flow rate that supports stable cast sheet formation and sequential stretching. It is not a single-value product; its process window is defined by moisture control, thermal history, and orientation parameters evaluated against ASTM D1238, ASTM D792, ASTM D3418, ISO 527-3, and related film test methods. The following sections define material identity, processing boundaries, comparative position, and verification methods relevant to production-scale biaxial orientation lines.
The grade is typically characterized by the following property matrix. Values are representative of the manufacturer-published data and are not to be read as lot-release limits; the current datasheet and certificate of analysis govern acceptance for a specific delivery.
| Property | Test method | Unit | Typical value |
| Specific gravity | ASTM D792 | — | 1.24 |
| Melt flow rate at 210 °C/2.16 kg | ASTM D1238 | g/10 min | 7 |
| D-lactide content | manufacturer internal titration | mol% | 2.0 |
| Melting endotherm | ASTM D3418 | °C | 155–170 |
| Glass transition midpoint | ASTM D3418 | °C | 55–58 |
| Residual moisture after drying | Karl Fischer / Vapor Pro | ppm | ≤ 250 |
The stereochemical regularity of Ingeo 4032D is controlled in the lactide monomer stream. A D-lactide content of approximately 2.0 mol% places the grade below amorphous film grades but above highly crystalline annealed injection-molding homopolymer. This composition slows spherulite growth compared with unmodified PLLA, which helps suppress premature haze before stretching. The D-lactide value is not independently verified by a standardized ASTM procedure; it is measured by the resin manufacturer through chiral HPLC or NMR and reported on the certificate of analysis. Capillary rheometry at 200 °C under ASTM D3835 is used to establish nozzle pressure drop and melt viscosity curve behavior for screw-speed and back-pressure decisions.
Resin handling before extrusion is governed by residual moisture rather than ambient relative humidity alone. Ingeo 4032D is pre-dried in a desiccant-wheel hopper dryer at 80 °C for 4 h, with supply-air dew point no higher than -40 °C and return-air temperature monitored to confirm bed loading. Target moisture is ≤ 250 ppm as measured by a Karl Fischer oven or a Vapor Pro analyzer. A hopper capacity sized for 2–4 h of resin consumption reduces short-circuit flow; conical hoppers with insulated walls and a thermocouple at the inlet are used to avoid condensation in high-humidity plants. Over-drying above 90 °C or residence beyond 6 h is avoided because it can generate lactide and initiate yellowing. Batch-to-batch incoming moisture should be logged before drying because resin received in bulk railcars may vary with seasonal ambient dew point. Moisture above the 250 ppm threshold enters the melt stream and hydrolyzes ester linkages, and the resulting molecular-weight loss is not recoverable by downstream thermal processing.
Hydrolytic chain scission in PLA is a kinetic process that accelerates once bound moisture is present in the melt. The melt viscosity at 200 °C decreases as hydrolysis proceeds, reducing draw uniformity and increasing sensitivity to gauge bands. Observed failure modes on production tenter lines include edge instability during machine-direction stretching, bubble breakage in the transverse-direction tenter, and low-molecular-weight plate-out on downstream idlers. These defects are commonly misread as temperature or die-lip problems when the root cause is moisture above 250 ppm. The hydrolysis reaction also broadens molecular weight distribution, which affects strain-hardening behavior in the tenter and can produce uneven film thickness at the beaded edge. Because PLA does not recover molecular weight after hydrolysis, off-spec edge trim produced under wet conditions cannot be restored by re-drying the film; it must be re-evaluated as regrind with reduced use levels.
Extrusion of Ingeo 4032D on a cast sheet line typically uses a single-screw extruder with an L/D ratio of 30:1 to 36:1, a barrier feed section, and screen packs with mesh sizes from 40/60/100/40 to remove gels. Melt temperature at the die is controlled between 190 °C and 210 °C; adapter and die temperatures are maintained at 200–210 °C to smooth flow. If melt temperature exceeds 210 °C, depolymerization generates lactide and increases fume; below 190 °C, die lines and melt fracture may appear. The cast roll surface is set between 20 °C and 40 °C. Higher cast roll temperatures reduce haze but can increase blocking; lower temperatures increase amorphous sheet brittleness. Die gap is set as a function of sheet thickness and draw-down; typical die gaps range from 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm for sheet thicknesses of 100 µm to 400 µm. The cast sheet is passed through an IR scanning gauge that records transverse thickness profile; upstream die bolt adjustments are made to keep gauge variation below ±5% before stretching. Thickness variation outside this band is amplified by the subsequent draw ratios and appears as gauge bands in the wound roll. Edge pinning uses an electrostatic edge wire or air knife to prevent neck-in. Operators record melt pressure before the breaker plate; pressure excursions above 150 bar suggest gel accumulation or inadequate melting. Published data for a specific Ingeo 4032D extruder configuration are limited, but these ranges are consistent with PLA cast-film practice.
Direct substitution among Ingeo grades is not supported by melt rheology. Ingeo 2003D is associated with extruded sheet and thermoforming; its broader processing window is achieved with a higher D-isomer content and lower orientation hardening, whereas Ingeo 4032D is specified for biaxial orientation because its lower D-isomer content permits strain-induced crystallization at the draw temperatures used in a tenter frame. Ingeo 3251D, an injection-molding grade, flows at high shear under fast cavity injection; Ingeo 4032D is not formulated for thin-wall injection filling and should not be dropped into a reciprocating-screw injection press without re-qualification of gate freeze, part shrinkage, and melt residence time. Similarly, a 4032D cast-sheet extruder should not be switched to 2003D and retain the same temperature profile; the melt may build pressure differently and the sheet may not orient at the same strain rates. Published side-by-side comparative data for these specific grades are limited; processor trials remain the control method for grade interchange.
Preheated cast sheet enters the machine-direction stretching unit at 65–75 °C, where slow rollers and fast rollers impose draw ratios of 3.0:1 to 3.5:1. The film then enters the tenter at 75–85 °C for transverse stretching at ratios of 4.0:1 to 5.0:1. Heat-setting in the final tenter zones is performed at 120–140 °C to reduce internal stresses and control shrink. The exact set point is tuned to line speed and film thickness; lower heat-set temperatures preserve extensibility but increase shrinkage, while higher temperatures increase crystallinity and modulus but can embrittle the edge bead. Stretch ratios outside the upper limits cause microvoiding and haze from localized cavitation. After biorientation, Ingeo 4032D develops a semicrystalline morphology with increased stiffness and reduced elongation compared with cast sheet. Film tensile properties are measured by ISO 527-3; thickness-normalized water vapor transmission rate is measured by ASTM F1249, and oxygen transmission rate by ASTM D3985. End-use barrier values depend on thickness, heat-setting, and relative humidity.
Biaxially oriented film edge trim and off-spec sheet are ground in-line and returned to the dried feed stream. Regrind addition for Ingeo 4032D is typically limited to 20–30% because repeated heat history lowers intrinsic viscosity and shifts the stretch temperature downward. Regrind flakes must be dried with virgin resin; dust fines below 500 µm can block hopper outlets and create gel counts. A dedicated gravimetric feeder with a vented throat is used. The regrind stream is tested for bulk density and moisture before feeding. Processing with reclaimed amorphous scrap above the limit can increase gel formation and reduce tenter-frame gauge uniformity; published data for 4032D-specific regrind thresholds is limited, so production controls require in-house first-pass yield data and film inspection under ASTM D1003 and ASTM D2457.
After heat-setting, the film is annealed and then surface-treated by corona discharge to achieve a wetting tension of 38–42 mN/m, measured according to ASTM D2578. Winding tension is tapered to avoid blocking and internal stress; completed rolls are stored at <25 °C and <60% RH to prevent dimensional change. Slitting knives should be maintained to prevent edge cracks that propagate during packaging line converting and downstream laminating.
Regulatory and specification compliance for Ingeo 4032D is article-specific. Food-contact status must be established under the intended conditions of use; in the United States, the applicable clearance is commonly found in 21 CFR 175.300 for resinous and polymeric coatings, while EU food-contact articles are evaluated under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 with migration testing by specific food simulants. For industrial compostability, the final article must meet ASTM D6400 or EN 13432, including disintegration, biodegradation, and ecotoxicity criteria; a resin datasheet alone is insufficient. REACH registration is required for EU import volume, and RoHS screening of heavy metals is performed under IEC 62321 if the final article is marketed into electrical and electronic equipment. Mechanical and thermal properties should be re-verified after each regrind addition, because PLA is subject to molecular-weight loss and lactide reformation during repeated extrusion. The processing boundaries stated above are not release limits; the current manufacturer datasheet and lot-specific certificate of analysis govern all shipment acceptance decisions.
