| Material Description | High-density polyethylene with a balanced combination of stiffness, toughness, chemical resistance, and processability. | Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene designed for exceptional abrasion resistance and low-friction performance. | Low-density polyethylene with higher flexibility and impact absorption than standard HDPE. | HDPE manufactured partly or mainly from recovered polyethylene feedstock; properties depend strongly on feedstock sorting and formulation. |
| Typical Density | 0.94–0.97 g/cm³ | 0.93–0.94 g/cm³ | 0.91–0.94 g/cm³ | Approximately 0.93–0.97 g/cm³ |
| Typical Tensile Strength at Yield | 20–35 MPa | 20–35 MPa | 8–15 MPa | 18–32 MPa, depending on recycled content and quality control |
| Typical Flexural Modulus | 700–1,500 MPa | 500–1,000 MPa | 100–300 MPa | 600–1,400 MPa |
| Impact Performance | Very good; remains tough in many demanding handling applications. | Excellent resistance to impact and repeated mechanical loading. | Excellent impact absorption and flexibility. | Good to very good; variation is greater than with virgin material. |
| Abrasion Resistance | Good for general industrial and fabrication use. | Excellent; typically selected for chutes, liners, wear strips, and sliding components. | Moderate; softer surfaces can wear faster under abrasive contact. | Moderate to good, depending on formulation and surface quality. |
| Coefficient of Friction | Low to moderate; suitable for many sliding and conveying applications. | Very low; advantageous where low drag and material release are important. | Low to moderate. | Low to moderate, with possible batch-to-batch variation. |
| Operating Temperature Range | Approximately −50°C to +80°C for many general-purpose grades. | Approximately −150°C to +80°C for many grades; verify the specific grade and load conditions. | Approximately −50°C to +60°C for many general-purpose grades. | Approximately −40°C to +70°C in typical applications; verify the actual formulation. |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | Typically about 65–85°C under common test loads. | Typically about 60–85°C under common test loads. | Typically about 35–50°C under common test loads. | Typically about 60–85°C, depending on recycled content and grade. |
| Chemical Resistance | Excellent resistance to many acids, alkalis, salts, and aqueous chemicals. | Excellent resistance to many corrosive chemicals; check compatibility with strong oxidizers and solvents. | Good resistance to many aqueous chemicals; less suitable for some solvents and elevated-temperature exposure. | Good in general, but contaminants and composition variability should be evaluated for critical service. |
| Moisture Absorption | Very low, generally below 0.01% by weight at 23°C and 50% relative humidity. | Very low, generally below 0.01% by weight. | Very low, generally below 0.01% by weight. | Very low; surface contamination and porosity may affect practical performance. |
| UV and Weathering Performance | Good when stabilized with carbon black or approved UV additives. | Good when UV-stabilized; unstabilized material may degrade during long outdoor exposure. | Moderate unless specifically UV-stabilized. | Variable; request outdoor-weathering data and UV-stabilizer information for exterior use. |
| Machinability and Fabrication | Easy to saw, drill, route, weld, and thermoform with suitable equipment. | Machinable, but its toughness and low thermal conductivity require controlled cutting conditions. | Easy to cut and fabricate; flexibility may reduce dimensional stability during machining. | Generally machinable, although inclusions and property variation can affect surface finish. |
| Dimensional Stability | Good for normal service; thermal expansion should be considered in precision installations. | Good in wear applications, but thermal expansion and creep must be considered under sustained loads. | Lower stiffness can lead to greater deflection and dimensional change under load. | Moderate to good; verify tolerance capability for precision components. |
| Long-Term Load Performance | Good when designed for creep and temperature effects. | Good wear life, but sustained structural loads require careful design against creep. | Limited for rigid load-bearing applications because of lower stiffness. | Suitable for non-critical loads when performance consistency is confirmed. |
| Common Thickness Availability | Approximately 1–100 mm; thicker custom plates are available from some processors. | Approximately 3–100 mm; thicker or machined formats may require special production. | Approximately 1–50 mm, subject to manufacturing method and application. | Approximately 3–50 mm, depending on recycled feedstock and production process. |
| Typical Applications | Fabricated tanks, cutting boards, machine guards, wear pads, marine components, and industrial liners. | Chute liners, hopper liners, guide rails, wear strips, sliding pads, and high-abrasion components. | Flexible liners, impact pads, packaging-related components, seals, and low-load protective surfaces. | Construction protection boards, pallets, temporary flooring, agricultural products, and general-purpose fabricated parts. |
| Food-Contact Suitability | Potentially suitable when manufactured from compliant grades and processed under applicable regulations. | Potentially suitable for certain applications when the specific grade is compliant; do not assume compliance from the material name alone. | Potentially suitable for compliant grades used within their approved temperature and application limits. | Often restricted for direct food contact unless the recycled feedstock and manufacturing process meet the relevant regulations. |
| Recyclability | Widely recyclable as polyethylene when collected and sorted correctly. | Recyclable as polyethylene, although collection and separation may be less common. | Recyclable as polyethylene, subject to local collection infrastructure. | Already incorporates recovered polyethylene; end-of-life recyclability depends on sorting and contamination. |
| Best Selection Priority | Balanced performance, broad availability, fabrication ease, and general industrial use. | Maximum wear life, low friction, and demanding sliding or abrasion service. | Flexibility, cushioning, and impact absorption at relatively low loads. | Lower material footprint or cost for applications where tight property consistency is not essential. |
| Key Buyer Verification Documents | Technical data sheet, lot certificate, dimensional tolerance, UV-stabilization details, and applicable compliance declaration. | Technical data sheet, wear-test method, coefficient-of-friction data, impact data, and dimensional tolerance. | Technical data sheet, hardness, tensile data, temperature limits, and flexibility or elongation information. | Recycled-content declaration, batch traceability, contamination controls, technical data sheet, and application-specific test results. |
