Comparison
Castable SLA Resin vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Castable Photopolymer Resin for SLA and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.15-1.25 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.3-0.6 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque (often brown or grey)
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
Moderate (1-3%)
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
1.0-2.0 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
20-35 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
1-3 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
Very Low
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
50-60 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
N/A (cross-linked polymer)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
40-50 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
40-50 °C @ 0.45 MPa
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.5
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹³-10¹⁵ Ω·cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-20 MV/m
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Fair resistance
Fair
Bases
Poor resistance
Poor
Solvents
Attacked by strong solvents.
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Not Recyclable
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
N/A
7
Carbon Footprint
High
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %