HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene is part of a widely-used family of thermoplastics, HDPE ‘Polyolefin’, which is produced through polymerizing ethylene and propylene for properties that are excellent in applications such as food handling, food preparation equipment, wear resistance, consumer goods, and much more.
Why this thermoplastic is so popular
HDPE is known for its excellent strength-to-density ratio, as well as its strong intermolecular forces, high impact and tensile strength. These properties combine for a hard, durable plastic that is excellent for many applications from containers for consumer goods to chemical and structural tanks components. At the same time, HDPE is lightweight and highly resistant to stains, odor, moisture, chemicals, and abrasion. Most importantly, HDPE doesn’t contain harsh or toxic chemicals that could be harmful to users, making it excellent for a wide variety of consumer and commercial products. Specifically, HDPE does notcontain: BPA, Phthalates, Allergens, Heavy Metals or Harmful fumes.
HDPE has excellent wear and chemical resistance. HDPE is a commonly used material for rub strips, chute liners and bottling plant components. An example of wear resistance is the yellow plastic playground slides which are made of HDPE. This versatile plastic material is often the choice for use for chemical and toxic containers and bottles.
The HDPE material is the common material used to make the one gallon milk jugs. These are easily recycled, and 8 – 10 milk jugs is equal to about one pound of recycled HDPE material. On average, over 115 million milk jugs are recycled each year.
Some common uses of HDPE
HDPE is FDA, USDA, and NSF compliant, making it especially popular for making components such as cutting boards, food preparation surfaces and equipment components. HDPE is often used in a wide range of food processing equipment, food containers and bottles, as well as valve and pump components. However, the Food processing industry isn’t the only industry relying on HDPE. Its excellent impact strength makes this plastic popular for everything from impact parts to dasher boards in ice rinks, to personal protection gear.
In addition, HDPE has excellent properties that make it perfect for heat-formed or vacuum-formed parts, producing food trays and containers and much more. The plastic’s durability and impact resistance makes it an excellent choice for the linings of conventional freezers, bed liners for heavy trucks, and liners in silos. The marine industry is an active user of HDPE due to its toughness and very lightweight to size ratio.
As one of the most used plastics, HDPE has a density of just .941 – .965 per ASTM D792. While many think of Aluminum as a lightweight material, it actually is 2.8 times the weight of HDPE plastic material.
HDPE also has been successfully used in a variety of cement molds and various types of transfer and storage boards. This plastic can be found in crates and bottles for holding not just food products, but also detergents and cosmetics. Industrial pallet wrapping benefits from HDPE film durability, while petrol tanks benefit from this plastic’s inherent chemical resistance.
Looking for a supplier of polyethylene thermoplastics?
Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc. is an expert in performance plastics, and has one of the largest material inventories in the World. To learn more, check out full line Performance Plastic materials on our website.
Manufactured by a variety of manufacturers under several tradenames: Polyboard®, Polymar®, Hostalen®, Polystone®, Hitec® HDPE, Corrtec®, Sanalite®, UltraEthylux®, Polycarve®, and Densetec®.
For great abrasion resistance, very low density, and FDA/NSF compliance, Polyethylene products are an excellent choice.
Self-lubricating and a low coefficient of friction
Very High Chemical Resistance
Low Specific Gravity (Floats in Water)
Can be Heat Welded or RF Welded
High Impact Strength and Energy Absorption
Exceptional Low Temperature – Brittle at -110° F
Does not chemically bond
HDPE/LDPE are ITAR compliant, and HDPE/LDPE are RoHS compliant
Main Differences:
HDPE – Harder material, little to no flex, better tensile strength LDPE – Softer, very flexible, lower tensile strength
Applications – HDPE:
Cutting Board and Food Preparation Surfaces
FDA, USDA, NSF Compliant Machined Parts
Heat Formed and Vacuum Formed Parts
Dasher Board For Ice Rinks – Impact Parts
Welded Tanks, Hoppers, Silo Linings and Slide Chutes
Chemical and Structural Tanks and Covers
Food Processing Equipment, Valve, and Pump Components
Other applications include cement molds, body boards, transfer boards, death beds, mortician boards, cooler storage boards, spine board, tank liners, wear guides, and many, many more.HDPE is used in thousands of applications, from interiors of freezers, bed liners for trucks to personal protection gear.
HDPE is available in stock in natural (milky white) and black. Other colors are available with minimum runs.
Applications – LDPE:
Packaging Applications
Industrial bags, produce bags, garment bags
Blow Molded Bottles
Toys
Hot Melt Adhesives
Wire Insulation
Prosthetic appliances, Medical equipment, Semi-flexible tubing
Extruded Sheet: .030 – 2.0″ in 48″ X 96″ Smooth Surfaces Natural Sheet in HDPE, 1″ max. for LDPE Black available in many sizes of HDPE
Film: .015″ – .060″ in 48″ wide Natural
Rod: .250″ – 10″ diameter in Natural HDPE – 96″ lengths From 12″ and up to 30″ diameter in 48″ lengths or 39″ lengths in HDPE
Black is available in many sizes of HDPE
Tube: .250″ OD – 10″ OD in various wall thicknesses. Most available in HDPE and many in LDPE
Special Formulations: Conductive, Static Dissipative, Custom sizes, Formulations, Profiles or Colors.
General Property
ASTM Test
Typical Value HDPE
Typical Value LDPE
Specific Gravity
D792
.941 – .965
.91 – .925
Tensile Strength Yield
D638
3,800 – 5,500
1,400 – 2,000
Izod Impact – Notched
D256
2.0 – 3.5
>16
Vicat Softening Temp
D1525
257 degrees F
219 degrees F
Hardness – Rockwell
D785
D60 -70
D42 – 50
Continuous Use Temp
–
-100 – 180 degrees F
174 degrees F
Deflection Temp @ 66 psi
D648
171
124
Co. Thermal Expansion
D696
7X10-5
4.6 -5.5X10-5
Playground HDPE is UV stabilized for outdoor applications that is available in a variety of colors.
These properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.
Next time you are cutting vegetables on your cutting board, the material most likely to be used is Polyethylene. Because it is stain, moisture and odor resistant, Polyethylene is a perfect choice. Other cutting boards made out of wood are more susceptible to bacteria and odors because they lack the properties that Polyethylene sheets offer, such as its chemical resistance and FDA approval for food contact. Polyethylene is a very durable and lightweight material that comes in many forms and is a great for a wide variety of applications.
NSF Approved Cutting Boards
The HDPE is available in .500″ thick in several FDA / NSF approved colors, and is great for use in kitchens where cross contamination is a problem.
The Ultimate Cutting Board
Polyethylene has many names. The most common are HDPE, LDPE, and UHMW. The difference has to with the molecular weight and branching which is when a monomer or atom is replaced by a longer chain of polymers (a long repeating chain of atoms). High Density is commonly used for milk jugs and food containers. Low Density is commonly used for bottles and plastic bags. UHMW, which has higher molecular weight (2-6 million) allows for an even transfer over the length of material which makes it stronger and able to be used for bearing applications due to its great wear resistance. Commonly used in the food and dairy industry, UHMW is a great replacement for other materials and solution to many problems. All of these polymers are derived from the same family but all have certain properties that make them a little different. HDPE provides great chemical resistance, with high impact strength and great energy absorption. LDPE has most of the same properties as High Density but is not as dense at 9.15, opposed to HDPE which is 9.34. It also has a lower tensile strength and easier formability.
UHMW is a strong material that has great durability and low co-efficient making it an ideal for sliding applications. Polyethylene offers a wide range of material choices and properties and has great durability that can be suitable for a number of applications. From the food industry to automotive, the kitchen or the warehouse, whatever your Polyethylene needs are; High Density, Low Density or UHMW, Polyethylene is a great choice.
Typical Resin Properties:
General Property
ASTM Test
Typical Value HDPE
Typical Value LDPE
Typical Value UHMW
Specific Gravity
D792
.941 – .965
.91 – .925
.93 – .94
Tensile Strength Yield
D638
3,800 – 5,500
1,400 – 2,000
6,800
Izod Impact – Notched
D256
2.0 – 3.5
>16
No Break
Vicat Softening Temp
D1525
257ºF
219ºF
260
Hardness – Rockwell
D785
D60 -70
D42 – 50
R64
Continuous Use Temp
–
-100 – 180ºF
174ºF
180ºF
Deflection Temp @ 66 psi
D648
171
124
174
Co. Thermal Expansion
D696
7X10-5
4.6 -5.5X10-5
11.0X10-5
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