WHAT IS PGA​​

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Polyglycolic acid (PGA) stands out as one of the most structurally efficient polymers ever engineered.

 

Built from the smallest possible aliphatic polyester repeat unit, it packs exceptional crystallinity and chain regularity into a remarkably compact structure. That combination gives PGA a very high tensile strength, a high modulus, outstanding gas barrier performance and a melting point around 220–230 °C, which is unusually high for a biodegradable polymer.

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At the same time, the ester linkage in every repeat unit makes PGA highly susceptible to hydrolysis, so it degrades rapidly and steadily in moisture rich environments, independent of salinity or chloride level. The robust mechanical performance paired with fast biodegradation has made PGA a strategic material in medical sutures, downhole oil‑and‑gas tools, and emerging high‑barrier packaging applications. 

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The hydrolysis degradation yields water and carbon dioxide eventually, leaving no harmful residues in the environment. 

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PGA’s performances vary considerably between low and very high molecular weight forms. To fully realize PGA’s potential, both polymerization process and downstream melt processing operations must be precisely controlled and free of defects.​ Tekma brings strong expertise in both areas.

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