Comparison
Standard Natural Rubber vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Standard Natural Rubber and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
0.92 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.3 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
1.5 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
0.01 - 0.05 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
20 - 30 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
600 - 800 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
N/A
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
-70 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
N/A
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
-40 to 80 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
N/A
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
2.5 - 3.0
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10^13 - 10^14 Ohm-cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15 - 25 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Poor
Fair
Bases
Good
Poor
Solvents
Poor (swells in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons)
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Limited
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
N/A
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate (depends on cultivation practices)
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %