Comparison
PLA vs HDPE
A side-by-side comparison of Polylactic Acid and High-Density Polyethylene.
Physical
Density
1.24 g/cm³
0.95 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.5 %
< 0.01 %
Transparency
Semi-transparent
Translucent to opaque
Shrinkage
0.3 – 0.5 %
1.5 – 3.0 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
3.5 GPa
1.1 GPa
Tensile Strength
50 – 65 MPa
25 – 35 MPa
Flexural Strength
80 MPa
—
Impact Strength (Izod)
16 J/m
—
Elongation at Break
6 %
500 – 1000 %
Impact Strength
—
No break
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
60 °C
—
Melting Point
150 – 160 °C
130 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
55 °C
75 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
45 °C
80 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0
2.3
Volume Resistivity
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
10¹⁶ Ω·cm
Chemical resistance
Acids
Fair
Excellent
Bases
Poor
Excellent
Alcohols
Fair
Excellent
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor unless stabilized
Hydrolysis
Poor
—
Oils
—
Good
Sustainability
Recyclability
Industrially compostable
Widely recycled
Recycling Code
7
2
Bio-based Content
100 %
0 – 100 %
Carbon Footprint
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
~1.9 kg CO₂e / kg