MakeItFrom.com
Menu (ESC)

UHMW-PE vs. PLA

Both UHMW-PE and PLA are thermoplastics. There are 12 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (12, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is UHMW-PE and the bottom bar is PLA.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 0.8
3.5
Elongation at Break, % 400
6.0
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 49
50

Thermal Properties

Melting Onset (Solidus), °C 130
160
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 1750
1800
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 0.41
0.13

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm3 0.94
1.3

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 0.47
1.6
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 33
40
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 14
11
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 32
24
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 0.25
0.058