Comparison
PLA Silk Filament vs Polycarbonate
A side-by-side comparison of Polylactic Acid Silk Filament and Polycarbonate.
Physical
Density
1.24 g/cm³
1.20 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.5-1.0 %
0.15 %
Transparency
Opaque (with high sheen)
Transparent (88% light transmission)
Shrinkage
Low (0.2-0.5%)
0.5 – 0.8 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
2.8-3.3 GPa
2.3 – 2.4 GPa
Tensile Strength
48-58 MPa
60 – 70 MPa
Elongation at Break
3-4 %
100 – 150 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
2-3 kJ/m²
600 – 900 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
90 – 100 MPa
Hardness (Rockwell M)
—
70
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
58-63 °C
147 °C
Melting Point
150-168 °C
—
Continuous Service Temperature
38-48 °C
115 – 130 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
48-53 °C @ 0.45 MPa
130 – 140 °C
Thermal Conductivity
—
0.20 W/m·K
CTE
—
65 – 70 × 10⁻⁶ /K
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.4
2.9 – 3.0
Volume Resistivity
10¹²-10¹³ Ω·cm
10¹⁶ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
14-19 MV/m
15 kV/mm
Chemical resistance
Acids
Resistant to weak acids
—
Bases
Attacked by strong bases
Poor
Solvents
Attacked by esters, ketones, and chlorinated hydrocarbons
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor (unless coated)
Acids (dilute)
—
Good
Alcohols
—
Fair
Oils
—
Good
Gasoline
—
Fair
Acetone
—
Poor (attacks)
Sustainability
Recyclability
Mechanically Recyclable (limited
Recyclable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~5 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
0 – 50 % (bio grades)