Comparison
PVC Rigid Pipe vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride for Pipe Applications and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.30-1.45 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.1-0.4 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
0.5-1.5 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
2.5-4.0 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
45-60 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
5-20 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
20-50 J/m
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
70-80 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
N/A (degrades above 160°C)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
50-60 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
60-70 °C
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.5
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹¹-10¹³ Ω⋅cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Excellent resistance
Fair
Bases
Excellent 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 %