HDPE
Properties
  • High impact strength
  • Excellent tensile strength
  • Abrasions resistance
  • Resistance to stress cracks
Typical Uses
  • Cams, washers, shims
  • Machined parts
  • Rack liners / protectors
  • Tank, chute, bin linings
  • Cutting boards

HDPE - High Density Polyethylene Sheet

Alro Plastics stocks machinable HDPE in sheet and rod. High-density polyethylene has excellent tensile strength, energy absorption for excellent impact resistance, abrasion resistance, and resistance to stress cracks. HDPE is low maintenance, safe, and long-lasting making it good for a wide range of uses from cutting boards to snowboards, medical applications, and more. Sheets are available in both smooth and textured surfaces, popular in items like cutting boards where texture helps with grip.

HDPE resists staining, mold, mildew, and rotting. It can be sterilized by boiling, making it an ideal material for food and beverage applications. Additionally, HDPE can withstand most strong mineral acids and bases and has excellent resistance and it is virtually impervious to most common chemicals, water, solvents, acids, detergents, and cleaning fluids.

HDPE has little branching, giving it stronger intermolecular forces and tensile strength than LDPE (Low-density polyethylene). The difference in strength exceeds the difference in density, giving HDPE a higher specific strength. It is also harder and more opaque and can withstand somewhat higher temperatures (120 °C/ 248 °F for short periods, 82.2 °C /180 °F continuously). High-density polyethylene, unlike polypropylene, cannot withstand normally-required autoclaving conditions.