Comparison
Acrylic (PMMA) vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.18 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.3 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Transparent (92%)
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
0.2 – 0.8 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
3.0 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
70 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Flexural Strength
110 MPa
80 MPa
Impact Strength (Izod)
20 J/m
16 J/m
Elongation at Break
5 %
6 %
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
105 °C
60 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
80 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
95 °C
55 °C
Melting Point
—
150 – 160 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.6
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹⁵ Ω·cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good
Fair
Bases
Fair
Poor
Alcohols
Poor
Fair
Acetone
Attacks
—
UV Resistance
Excellent
Poor
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Recyclable (chemical)
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7
7
Carbon Footprint
~5.4 kg CO₂e / kg
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %