Comparison
PET Unfilled vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Polyethylene Terephthalate Unfilled and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.33-1.40 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.1-0.3 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Transparent to Opaque (depending on grade)
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
1.0-2.0 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
3.0-4.0 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
50-70 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
5-50 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
3-7 kJ/m
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
65-80 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
250-265 °C
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
80-100 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
50-70 °C (1.8 MPa)
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.5
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10^14-10^16 Ohm-cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good
Fair
Bases
Poor
Poor
Solvents
Good (alcohols, oils)
—
UV Resistance
Fair
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Highly Recyclable
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
1 (PET)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %