Comparison
PLA Silk Filament vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Polylactic Acid Silk Filament and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
1.24 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.5-1.0 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque (with high sheen)
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
Low (0.2-0.5%)
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
2.8-3.3 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
48-58 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
3-4 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
2-3 kJ/m²
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
58-63 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
150-168 °C
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
38-48 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
48-53 °C @ 0.45 MPa
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.4
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹²-10¹³ Ω·cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
14-19 MV/m
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Resistant to weak acids
Fair
Bases
Attacked by strong bases
Poor
Solvents
Attacked by esters, ketones, and chlorinated hydrocarbons
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Mechanically Recyclable (limited
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %