HDPE CNC Part Customizable Machining Parts
Core Properties of HDPE Parts
Mechanical Properties
High Rigidity & Moderate Toughness: Tensile strength of 20-35 MPa (higher than LDPE's 10-20 MPa), elastic modulus of 800-1200 MPa (significantly stronger than PP's 800-1500 MPa but lower than engineering plastics), and flexural strength of 25-45 MPa, making it suitable for structural parts bearing small to medium loads (such as pallets and brackets).
Excellent Impact Resistance: Notched impact strength of 50-100 kJ/m² (still >30 kJ/m² at -20°C), significantly higher than PP (20-50 kJ/m² at room temperature, prone to brittleness at low temperatures), making it a representative example of "shatterproof plastic" (e.g., plastic buckets can withstand high-altitude drops).
Extremely Strong Environmental Stress Cracking (ESCR) Resistance: Even with surface scratches or stress concentrations, it resists slow cracking induced by chemical agents (such as detergents and oils) (time to failure >1000 hours, superior to LDPE and PP).
Thermal Properties
Moderate to low heat resistance: Long-term operating temperature range -50°C to +60°C (short-term tolerance 80°C), melting point approximately 130-137°C (processing temperature 180-260°C), Vicat softening point approximately 120-125°C. Rigidity decreases significantly above 60°C (e.g., flexural modulus decreases by 40% at 80°C), making it unsuitable for long-term high-temperature environments.
Low thermal expansion coefficient: approximately 1.2 × 10⁻⁴/°C (comparable to PP). Dimensional stability under temperature fluctuations is superior to that of metals (e.g., aluminum has a thermal expansion coefficient of 2.3 × 10⁻⁵/°C, but the absolute value of HDPE still needs to be compensated for in design).
Chemical Properties
Excellent Chemical Resistance: Stable to most acids (e.g., sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid), alkalis (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide), saline solutions, and organic solvents (e.g., ethanol, gasoline, mineral oil) (no significant swelling or corrosion at concentrations <95%), making it a leading corrosion protection material for chemical storage tanks and pipelines.
Only Weakness: Sensitivity to strong oxidizing acids (e.g., concentrated nitric acid >65%, concentrated sulfuric acid >90%), halogenated hydrocarbons (e.g., carbon tetrachloride, chloroform), and aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., toluene, long-term immersion), which may cause swelling (volume expansion >5%) or stress cracking.
Electrical Properties
Excellent Insulation: Volume resistivity ≥10¹⁶Ω·cm (higher than PP's 10¹⁵Ω·cm), dielectric strength 25-35kV/mm, and dielectric constant 2.3-2.4 (1kHz, virtually unaffected by frequency), making it suitable for high-frequency insulation components (e.g., wire and cable sheathing, electronic component shielding).
Core Advantages
Corrosion & Wear Resistance
HDPE parts' excellent chemical resistance (resistance to acids, alkalis, and oils below 95% concentration) and low coefficient of friction (0.1-0.2, approximately one-third that of PTFE but better than metal) make them ideal materials for the chemical, mining, and machinery industries:
Chemical Storage and Transportation Equipment: Acid/Alkali Solution Storage Tanks and Detergent Containers (HDPE blow moldings) can store sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions below 50% concentration for long periods without leaching harmful substances;
Wear-Resistant Components: Mining Chute Liners and Conveyor Rails (HDPE injection moldings/extrusions) have a coefficient of friction just one-fifth that of steel (0.3-0.5), are impact-resistant (resistance to ore impact), and have a lifespan 3-5 times longer than metal.
Lightweight & Easy Processing
HDPE's density of 0.941-0.965 g/cm³ (lighter than water, only 1/7 that of steel and 1/3 that of aluminum) and excellent melt flowability make it a top choice for weight- and cost-sensitive applications:
Daily necessities containers: Plastic buckets, trash cans, and storage boxes (HDPE injection/blow molded parts) are lightweight, shatter-resistant, and only 1/5-1/3 the price of stainless steel.
Industrial components: Gears, bearing retainers (unreinforced HDPE), and partitions (injection molded parts) offer fast processing cycles and low mold costs.
Hygiene & Safety
HDPE is non-toxic (compliant with FDA 21 CFR 177.1520), tasteless and odorless, and resistant to high-temperature sterilization (can withstand steam sterilization below 100°C). It is widely used in food packaging and the medical field:
Food containers: Milk bottles, yogurt containers, kitchen seasoning jars (HDPE blow-molded parts) are cold-resistant (will not crack at -50°C, suitable for frozen foods) and have no risk of plasticizer migration;
Medical devices: Petri dishes, pharmaceutical packaging trays (HDPE injection-molded parts) are autoclavable (can be sterilized at 121°C with high-pressure steam without deformation) and have a smooth surface (easy to clean, with no hot spots for bacteria to breed).