Comparison
Soft Touch Flexible Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS) block copolymer and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
0.91 - 0.93 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.3 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque to Translucent
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
1.0 - 2.0 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
0.001 - 0.05 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
3 - 10 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
500 - 1000 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
Good
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
-60 to -40 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
N/A (softening point around 100-150 °C)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
-40 to 100 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
N/A
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
2.5 - 3.0
3.0
Volume Resistivity
10^15 - 10^17 Ohm-cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
20 - 30 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good
Fair
Bases
Good
Poor
Solvents
Resists water, dilute acids/bases; swells in aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons
—
UV Resistance
Excellent
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Recyclable (thermoplastic processing)
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %