Context
Polylactic acid (PLA) for automotive applications

To limit fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles, or to improve the range of electrically propelled vehicles, a major area of progress is the reduction of vehicle mass. In terms of choice of materials, this is reflected in the increasing use of polymer and composite materials in vehicles, including for structural parts, replacing higher-density metallic materials. However, this replacement cannot be to the detriment of structural integrity and passenger safety, even when vehicles are subjected to extreme mechanical stress (crash, impact...), characterized by very high levels of deformation and deformation speed, and/or a wide temperature range (–50 °C – +120 °C for automotive – outside engine proximity). Automotive polymer materials therefore need to have thermomechanical properties that enable them to withstand these extreme stresses....