Comparison
rPET Bottle Clear vs Polycarbonate
A side-by-side comparison of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Bottle Grade Clear and Polycarbonate.
Physical
Density
1.38-1.40 g/cm³
1.20 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.1-0.3 %
0.15 %
Transparency
Excellent
Transparent (88% light transmission)
Shrinkage
1.5-2.5 %
0.5 – 0.8 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
2.5-3.5 GPa
2.3 – 2.4 GPa
Tensile Strength
50-70 MPa
60 – 70 MPa
Elongation at Break
20-50 %
100 – 150 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
5-10 J/m
600 – 900 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
90 – 100 MPa
Hardness (Rockwell M)
—
70
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
70-80 °C
147 °C
Melting Point
250-260 °C
—
Continuous Service Temperature
70-80 °C
115 – 130 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
50-60 °C (0.45 MPa)
130 – 140 °C
Thermal Conductivity
—
0.20 W/m·K
CTE
—
65 – 70 × 10⁻⁶ /K
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.2
2.9 – 3.0
Volume Resistivity
10^12-10^14 Ohm·cm
10¹⁶ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-20 kV/mm
15 kV/mm
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good resistance to dilute acids
—
Bases
Poor resistance to strong bases
Poor
Solvents
Resistant to most organic solvents
—
UV Resistance
Moderate (can yellow over time)
Poor (unless coated)
Acids (dilute)
—
Good
Alcohols
—
Fair
Oils
—
Good
Gasoline
—
Fair
Acetone
—
Poor (attacks)
Sustainability
Recyclability
Highly Recyclable
Recyclable
Recycling Code
1 (PET)
7
Carbon Footprint
Significantly lower than virgin PET
~5 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
0 – 50 % (bio grades)