Comparison
PA12 Standard vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Polyamide 12 Standard and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.01-1.02 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.2-0.3 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
1.0-2.0 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
1.0-1.5 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
50-60 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
250-400 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
50-100 kJ/m
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
40-50 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
175-185 °C
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
80-100 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
40-60 °C (1.8 MPa)
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.5
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10^12-10^14 Ohm-cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Fair
Fair
Bases
Good
Poor
Solvents
Good (oils, greases)
—
UV Resistance
Fair (requires additives)
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Recyclable
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %