Comparison
rHDPE PCR Colored (Blue) vs ABS
A side-by-side comparison of Recycled High-Density Polyethylene Post-Consumer Recycled Colored (Blue) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene.
Physical
Density
0.940-0.965 g/cm³
1.04 – 1.07 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.01-0.03 %
0.20 – 0.45 %
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Shrinkage
1.5-3.0 %
0.4 – 0.9 %
Specific Gravity
—
1.05
Surface Finish
—
Matte to glossy
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
0.9-1.5 GPa
1.8 – 2.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
20-35 MPa
40 – 50 MPa
Elongation at Break
200-600 %
10 – 50 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
10-25 J/m
200 – 400 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
60 – 80 MPa
Hardness (Rockwell R)
—
100 – 115
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
-120 °C
105 °C
Melting Point
125-135 °C
Amorphous (no true Tm)
Continuous Service Temperature
60-80 °C
70 – 90 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
40-50 °C (0.45 MPa)
85 – 100 °C
Thermal Conductivity
—
0.17 W/m·K
CTE
—
80 – 100 × 10⁻⁶ /K
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
2.25-2.35
2.7 – 3.2
Volume Resistivity
>10^15 Ohm·cm
10¹⁶ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
15 – 20 kV/mm
Surface Resistivity
—
10¹⁵ Ω
Chemical resistance
Acids
Excellent
—
Bases
Excellent
Good
Solvents
Good resistance to most organic solvents at room temperature
—
UV Resistance
Moderate (can degrade with prolonged UV exposure)
Poor (unless stabilized)
Acids (dilute)
—
Good
Alcohols
—
Good
Oils & Greases
—
Fair
Gasoline
—
Poor
Acetone
—
Attacks / dissolves
Weathering
—
Poor without stabilizers
Sustainability
Recyclability
Highly Recyclable
Recyclable (mechanical)
Recycling Code
2 (HDPE)
7 (Other)
Carbon Footprint
Significantly lower than virgin HDPE
~3.1 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
0 %