Comparison
XLPE Wire and Cable vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Cross-linked Polyethylene for Wire and Cable and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
0.915-0.935 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
<0.1 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
1-3 %
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
0.2-0.5 GPa
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
15-25 MPa
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
200-500 %
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
No Break
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
-120 °C
60 °C
Melting Point
Non-meltable (degrades above 300°C)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
90-120 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
60-80 °C
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
2.25-2.35
3.0
Volume Resistivity
>10¹⁵ Ω⋅cm
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
18-30 kV/mm
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good resistance
Fair
Bases
Good resistance
Poor
Solvents
Good resistance in most solvents, swells in hot aromatic hydrocarbons
—
UV Resistance
Poor (requires stabilization)
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Recyclable (difficult due to cross-linking)
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
2 (PE-HD)
7
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %