Comparison
Chitosan Crosslinked vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Chitosan, Crosslinked Grade DD and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.45 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
3.0-6.0 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Good
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
2.5-5.0 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
1.5 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
40 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
4.0 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
0.3 J/cm
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
90-130 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
None (degrades)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
70 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
60 °C
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
4.8
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹¹ Ω·cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
16 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Soluble in dilute acids
Fair
Bases
Good resistance
Poor
Solvents
Reduced solubility in acidic solutions due to crosslinking
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Biodegradable (compost)
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Low (utilizes waste streams)
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %