Comparison
PVC Flexible Cable vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride for Cable Jacketing and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.20-1.35 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.1-0.5 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
0.5-1.5 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
0.1-0.5 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
10-20 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
100-400 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
Good
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
-50 to -20 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
N/A (degrades)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
60-80 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
30-50 °C
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
4.0-5.0
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹⁰-10¹² Ω⋅cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
10-20 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good resistance
Fair
Bases
Good resistance
Poor
Solvents
Attacked by ketones, esters, chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons
—
UV Resistance
Poor (requires stabilization)
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Recyclable
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
3 (PVC)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate to High
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %