Densi

tyofPl
ast
ics:
Techni
cal
Proper
ti
es

Densi
tymeasur
est
he 
massperuni
tvolume.I
tis
calcul
atedbydi
vi
dingt
hemassoft
hemat
eri
albyt
hevol
umeandisnor
mal
lyexpr
essedin
g/cm3.

The densi
tyofapl
asti
c samplemaychangeduetochangei
ncrystal
l
init
y,l
ossofpl
ast
ici
zer
s,
absorpti
onofsol
vent
,etc.I
tisimpor
tantt
onotet
hatdensi
  tyvar
ieswithtemper
atur
e.

Ther
efor
e,t
odet
ermi
net
heexactdensi
tyofpl
ast
ic,
iti
simpor
tantt
o:

 
  
» I
dentif
yt heMaterial
 
  
» Fol
l
owt hephysi
cal changesinthesample
 
  
» I
ndicatetheunif
or mit
yamongdi ffer
entsampli
ngspeci
mens
 
  
» I
ndi
cat etheaveragedensityofalargeit
em,and
 
  
» Cal
culatethestrengthweightandcost-wei
ghtrat
ios

Densi
tycanbeconv
ert
edt
o speci
fi
cgr
avi
ty 
bydi
vi
dingt
heDensi
tyv
alue(
ing/
cm3)by0.
9975.

Checkoutmor
eondensi
ty:

 
  
» Densi
tyVal
uesofSev
eralPl
ast
ics
 
  
» HowtoCalcul
atet
heDensit
yofPlast
ic

Howt
oCal
cul
atet
heDensi
tyofPl
ast
ic
Thedensi
tyofanysubstanceorobj
ectcanbef oundinthesameway :di
vi
dethetotal
massof
theobj
ectbythet
otalvolumeoftheobj
ect.Alt
houghy oumightneedtousedif
fer
entmethods
tofi
ndthevol
umeort hemassofdiff
erentsubstances,y
ouwouldcalcul
atet
hedensityi
nthe
samewayusingthi
sformul a:

Themostusualt
estmethodstodeter
mineplasti
csDensi
tyar
e(of
cour
set
her
eexi
stsev
eral
othermet
hodsaswell
,buttheyar
enotdiscussedher
e):
 
  
» ASTM D1505
 
  
» ASTM D792-98
 
  
» I
SO1183-2

ASTM D1505

ASTM D1505deter
minesDensit
yofamat erial
bythedensi
ty-gr
adienttechni
que.Amateri
ali
s
pl
acedinali
quidcol
umnofv ari
abledensi
tywithst
andardf
loats(glassbeadsofknowndensity
).
Thedensi
tyofthemater
ial
isthencalcul
atedbasedonit
srelati
vepositiontothef
loat
sinthe
col
umnandt hedensi
ti
esoftheglassbeads.

ASTM D792-98

ASTM D792-98descr i
besthedet
ermi
nat
ionofthespeci
fi
cgrav
ity(
rel
ati
vedensi
ty)and
densi
tyofsoli
dplast
icsinfor
mssuchassheet
s,rods,
tubes,
ormoldedit
ems.Therearechi
efl
y
twotestmethodsareinvol
ved:

 
  
» 
TestMet
hodA-
-Fort
est
ingsol
idpl
ast
icsi
nwater
,and
 
  
» 
TestMet
hodB-
-Fort
est
ingsol
i
dplast
icsi
nli
qui
dsothert
hanwat
er

I
SO1183-
2

Themet hodspecif
iesagradi
entcolumnmethodforthedet
erminati
onoft hedensi
tyofnon-
cel
lularmoul
dedorextrudedplasti
csinv
oid-
fr
eeform.Densi
tygradientcolumnsar
ecolumns
containi
ngamixtureoftwoli
quids,t
hedensi
tyi
nthecolumnincreasingunifor
mlyf
rom topt
o
bott
om.

Fi
ndcommerci
algr
adesmatchi
ngy
ourdensi
tyt
argetusi
ng"
Proper
tySear
ch-Densi
ty"f
il
teri
n
OmnexusPl
ast
icsDat
abase:
Densi
tyVal
uesofSev
eral
Plast
ic

MinVal
ue MaxValue
Pol
ymerName
(
g/cm3) (
g/cm3)
ABS-Acr
yloni
tr
il
eBut
adi
eneSt
yrene 1.
020 1.
210

ABSFl
ameRet
ardant 1.
150 1.
200

ABSHi
ghHeat 1.
100 1.
150

ABSHi
ghI
mpact 1.
000 1.
100

ABS/
PCBl
end-Acr
yloni
tr
il
eBut
adi
ene 1.
100 1.
150
St
yrene/
Pol
ycar
bonat
eBl
end

ABS/
PCBl
end20%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
250 1.
250

ABS/
PCFl
ameRet
ardant 1.
170 1.
190
Amor phousTPIBl end, Ultr
a-highheat,
1.
370 1.
370
Chemi calResist
ant( HighFl ow)
Amor phousTPIBl end, Ultr
a-highheat,
1.
370 1.
370
Chemi calResist
ant( Standar dFlow)
Amor phousTPI ,HighHeat , HighFlow,
1.
520 1.
520
Lead-FreeSolderable,30%GF
Amor phousTPI ,HighHeat , HighFlow,
Transparent,Lead-FreeSol derable(Hi
gh 1.
310 1.
310
Flow)
Amor phousTPI ,HighHeat , HighFlow,
Transparent,Lead-FreeSol derable 1.
310 1.
310
(StandardFlow)
Amor phousTPI ,HighestHeat ,Chemical
1.
420 1.
420
Resistant
,260CULRTI
Amor phousTPI ,Moder ateHeat ,
1.
300 1.
300
Transparent
Amor phousTPI ,Moder ateHeat ,
1.
300 1.
300
Transparent(FoodCont actAppr oved)
Amor phousTPI ,Moder ateHeat ,
1.
300 1.
300
Transparent(MoldRel easegr ade)
Amor phousTPI ,Moder ateHeat ,
1.
300 1.
300
Transparent(Powderf or m)
ASA-Acr
yloni
tr
il
eSt
yreneAcr
ylat
e 1.
050 1.
070
ASA/PCBlend-Acr
yloni
tr
ileSt
yrene
1.
150 1.
150
Acr
ylat
e/Pol
ycar
bonateBlend
ASA/
PCFl
ameRet
ardant 1.
250 1.
250
ASA/PVCBlend-Acry
loni
tr
il
eStyr
ene
1.
200 1.
200
Acr
ylat
e/Pol
yvi
nylChl
ori
deBlend
CA-Cel
l
uloseAcet
ate 1.
220 1.
340

CAB-Cel
l
uloseAcet
ateBut
yrat
e 1.
150 1.
220

Cel
l
lul
oseDi
acet
ate-
Pear
lescentFi
l
ms 1.
360 1.
360

Cel
l
lul
oseDi
acet
ate-
GlossFi
l
m 1.
310 1.
310

Cel
l
lul
oseDi
acet
ate-
Int
eguar
dFi
l
ms 1.
280 1.
320

Cel
l
lul
oseDi
acet
ate-
Mat
tFi
l
m 1.
310 1.
310
Cell
uloseDi
acet
ate-
WindowPatchFil
m
1.
310 1.
310
(FoodGrade)
Cell
uloseDi
acet
ate-
Clar
efl
ectmetal
l
ized
1.
310 1.
310
fi
lm
Cel
l
uloseDi
acet
ate-
Col
oredFi
l
ms 1.
310 1.
310

Cel
l
uloseDi
acet
ate-
Flamer
etar
dantFi
l
m 1.
340 1.
360

Cel
l
uloseDi
acet
ate-
HighSl
i
pFi
l
m 1.
310 1.
310

Cel
l
uloseDi
acet
ate-
Semi
toneFi
l
ms 1.
310 1.
310

CP-Cel
l
ulosePr
opr
ionat
e 1.
170 1.
240

COC-Cy
cli
cOl
efi
nCopol
ymer 1.
010 1.
030

CPVC-Chl
ori
nat
edPol
yvi
nyl
Chl
ori
de 1.
500 1.
550

ETFE-Et
hyl
eneTet
raf
luor
oet
hyl
ene 1.
700 1.
700

EVA-Et
hyl
eneVi
nyl
Acet
ate 0.
920 0.
940

EVOH-Et
hyl
eneVi
nyl
Alcohol 1.
100 1.
200

FEP-Fl
uor
inat
edEt
hyl
enePr
opy
lene 2.
100 2.
200

HDPE-Hi
ghDensi
tyPol
yet
hyl
ene 0.
940 0.
970

HI
PS-Hi
ghI
mpactPol
yst
yrene 1.
030 1.
060

HI
PSFl
ameRet
ardantV0 1.
150 1.
170
I
onomer(Et
hyl
ene-
Met
hyl
Acr
ylat
e
0.
940 0.
970
Copol
ymer)
LCP-Li
qui
dCr
yst
alPol
ymer 1.
400 1.
400

LCPCar
bonFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
500 1.
500

LCPGl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
500 1.
800

LCPMi
ner
al-
fi
ll
ed 1.
500 1.
800

LDPE-LowDensi
tyPol
yet
hyl
ene 0.
917 0.
940

LLDPE-Li
nearLowDensi
tyPol
yet
hyl
ene 0.
915 0.
950
MABS-Tr ansparentAcr
yloni
tr
il
e
1.
080 1.
080
Butadi
eneStyrene
PA11-( Pol
yami de11)30%Glassf
iber
1.
250 1.
270
rei
nfor
ced
PA11,
Conduct
ive 1.
130 1.
130

PA11,
Flexi
ble 1.
030 1.
050

PA11,
Rigi
d 1.
020 1.
030

PA12(
Pol
yami
de12)
,Conduct
ive 1.
140 1.
140

PA12,
Fiber
-r
einf
orced 1.
070 1.
410

PA12,
Flexi
ble 1.
010 1.
040

PA12,
GlassFi
l
led 1.
220 1.
420

PA12,
Rigi
d 1.
010 1.
010

PA46-Pol
yami
de46 1.
170 1.
190

PA46,
30%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
420 1.
440

PA6-Pol
yami
de6 1.
120 1.
140

PA6-
10-Pol
yami
de6-
10 1.
090 1.
100

PA66-Pol
yami
de6-
6 1.
130 1.
150

PA66,
30%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
370 1.
370

PA66,
30%Mi
ner
alf
il
led 1.
350 1.
380
PA66,I
mpactModi
fi
ed,
15-
30%Gl
ass
1.
250 1.
350
Fi
ber
PA66,
ImpactModi
fi
ed 1.
050 1.
100
PA66,
CarbonFi
ber,
Long,30%Fi
ll
erby
1.
300 1.
300
Wei
ght
PA66,
CarbonFi
ber,
Long,40%Fi
ll
erby
1.
350 1.
350
Wei
ght
PA66,
GlassFi
ber
,Long,40%Fi
ll
erby
1.
450 1.
450
Wei
ght
PA66,
GlassFi
ber
,Long,50%Fi
ll
erby
1.
600 1.
600
Wei
ght
Pol
yami
desemi
-ar
omat
ic 1.
040 1.
060

PAI-Pol
yami
de-
Imi
de 1.
400 1.
400

PAI
,30%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
600 1.
600

PAI
,LowFr
ict
ion 1.
400 1.
500
PAN-Pol
yacr
yloni
tr
il
e 1.
100 1.
150

PAR-Pol
yar
ylat
e 1.
200 1.
260

PARA(
Pol
yar
ylami
de)
,30-
60%gl
assf
iber 1.
430 1.
770

PBT-Pol
ybut
yleneTer
epht
hal
ate 1.
300 1.
400

PBT,
30%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
500 1.
600

PC(
Pol
ycar
bonat
e)20-
40%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
350 1.
520
PC(Pol
ycar
bonate)20-
40%Gl
assFi
ber
1.
400 1.
500
Fl
ameRetardant
PC-Pol
ycar
bonat
e,hi
ghheat 1.
150 1.
200
PC/PBTBlend-
Pol
ycar
bonate/Poly
but
ylene 1.
170 1.
300
Ter
ephthal
ateBlend
PC/
PBTbl
end,
GlassFi
l
led 1.
300 1.
590

PCL-Pol
ycapr
olact
one 1.
140 1.
140

PCTFE-Pol
ymonochl
orot
ri
fl
uor
oet
hyl
ene 2.
100 2.
200

PE-Pol
yet
hyl
ene 
30%Gl
assFi
ber 1.
200 1.
280
PE/
TPSBlend-
1.
000 1.
050
Pol
yet
hyl
ene/Ther
mopl
ast
icSt
arch
PEEK-Pol
yet
her
ether
ket
one 1.
260 1.
320

PEEK30%Car
bonFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
400 1.
440

PEEK30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
490 1.
540

PEI-Pol
yet
her
imi
de 1.
270 1.
300

PEI
,30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
500 1.
600

PEI
,Mi
ner
alFi
l
led 1.
400 1.
500
PEKK(Polyet
herket
oneket
one)
,Low
1.
270 1.
280
Cri
stal
l
ini
tyGrade
PESU-Pol
yet
her
sul
fone 1.
370 1.
460

PESU10-
30%gl
assf
iber 1.
500 1.
600

PET-Pol
yet
hyl
eneTer
epht
hal
ate 1.
300 1.
400

PET,
30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
500 1.
600
PET,
30/35%GlassFi
ber
-r
einf
orced,
1.
500 1.
500
I
mpactModif
ied
PETG-Pol
yet
hyl
eneTer
epht
hal
ateGl
ycol 1.
270 1.
380

PFA-Per
fl
uor
oal
koxy 2.
100 2.
200

PGA-Pol
ygl
ycol
i
des 1.
400 1.
600

PHB-Pol
yhy
droxy
but
yrat
e 1.
300 1.
500

PI-Pol
yi
mide 1.
310 1.
430

PLA-Pol
yl
act
ide 1.
230 1.
250

PLA,
FiberMel
tSpi
nni
ng 1.
230 1.
250

PLA,
HeatSeal
Lay
er 1.
230 1.
250

PLA,
HighHeatFi
l
ms 1.
230 1.
250

PLA,
i
nject
ionmol
ding 1.
240 1.
260

PLA,
Spunbond 1.
230 1.
250

PLA,
Str
etchbl
owmol
dedbot
tl
es 1.
230 1.
250

PMMA-Pol
ymet
hyl
met
hacr
ylat
e/Acr
yli
c 1.
170 1.
200

PMMA(
Acr
yli
c)Hi
ghHeat 1.
150 1.
250

PMMA(
Acr
yli
c)I
mpactModi
fi
ed 1.
100 1.
200

PMP-Pol
ymet
hyl
pent
ene 0.
835 0.
840

PMP30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
050 1.
050

PMPMi
ner
alFi
l
led 1.
080 1.
100

POM -Pol
yoxy
met
hyl
ene(
Acet
al) 1.
410 1.
420

POM (
Acet
al)I
mpactModi
fi
ed 1.
300 1.
350

POM (
Acet
al)LowFr
ict
ion 1.
400 1.
540

POM (
Acet
al)Mi
ner
alFi
l
led 1.
500 1.
600

PP-Pol
ypr
opy
lene 
10-
20%Gl
assFi
ber 0.
970 1.
050

PP,
10-
40%Mi
ner
alFi
l
led 0.
970 1.
250

PP,
10-
40%Tal
cFi
l
led 0.
970 1.
250
PP,
30-
40%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
100 1.
230

PP(
Pol
ypr
opy
lene)Copol
ymer 0.
900 0.
910

PP(
Pol
ypr
opy
lene)Homopol
ymer 0.
900 0.
910
PPHomopoly
mer,
LongGl
assFi
ber
,30%
1.
100 1.
100
Fi
l
lerbyWei
ght
PPHomopoly
mer,
LongGl
assFi
ber
,40%
1.
200 1.
200
Fi
l
lerbyWei
ght
PPHomopoly
mer,
LongGl
assFi
ber
,50%
1.
300 1.
300
Fi
l
lerbyWei
ght
PP,
ImpactModi
fi
ed 0.
880 0.
910

PPA-Pol
ypht
hal
ami
de 1.
110 1.
200
PPA,
33%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced–Hi
gh
0.
140 0.
150
Fl
ow
PPA,
45%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
580 1.
600

PPE-Pol
ypheny
leneEt
her 1.
040 1.
100

PPE,
30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
260 1.
280

PPE,
FlameRet
ardant 1.
060 1.
100

PPE,
ImpactModi
fi
ed 1.
000 1.
100

PPE,
Miner
alFi
l
led 1.
200 1.
250

PPS-Pol
ypheny
leneSul
fi
de 1.
350 1.
350

PPS,
20-
30%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
400 1.
600

PPS,
40%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
600 1.
700

PPS,
Conduct
ive 1.
400 1.
800

PPS,
Glassf
iber&Mi
ner
al-
fi
ll
ed 1.
800 2.
000

PPSU-Pol
ypheny
leneSul
fone 1.
290 1.
300

PS(
Pol
yst
yrene)30%gl
assf
iber 1.
250 1.
250

PS(
Pol
yst
yrene)Cr
yst
al 1.
040 1.
050

PS,
HighHeat 1.
040 1.
050

PSU-Pol
ysul
fone 1.
240 1.
250
PSU,
30%Gl
assf
iner
-r
einf
orced 1.
400 1.
500

PSUMi
ner
alFi
l
led 1.
500 1.
600

PTFE-Pol
ytet
raf
luor
oet
hyl
ene 2.
100 2.
200

PTFE,
25%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 2.
200 2.
300
PVC( Poly
viny
lChl
ori
de)
,20%Gl
assFi
ber
-
1.
450 1.
500
rei
nforced
PVC,
Plast
ici
zed 1.
300 1.
700

PVC,
Plast
ici
zedFi
l
led 1.
150 1.
350

PVCRi
gid 1.
350 1.
500

PVDC-Pol
yvi
nyl
i
deneChl
ori
de 1.
600 1.
750

PVDF-Pol
yvi
nyl
i
deneFl
uor
ide 1.
700 1.
800

SAN-St
yreneAcr
yloni
tr
il
e 1.
060 1.
100

SAN,
20%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
200 1.
400

SMA-St
yreneMal
eicAnhy
dri
de 1.
050 1.
080

SMA,
20%Gl
assFi
ber
-r
einf
orced 1.
200 1.
200

SMA,
FlameRet
ardantV0 1.
200 1.
200

SMMA-St
yreneMet
hyl
Met
hacr
ylat
e 1.
050 1.
130

SRP-Sel
f-
rei
nfor
cedPol
ypheny
lene 1.
190 1.
210
TPI-
PEEKBl end,Ult
ra-hi
ghheat,Chemi
cal
1.
380 1.
380
Resistant
,HighFlow,240CULRTI
TPS/ PEBLend-Ther moplast
icStar
ch/
Polyethyl
eneBlend(30mi cr
onfil
ms 1.
150 1.
200
test
ed)
TPS,
Inj
ect
ionGener
alPur
pose 1.
400 1.
650

TPS,
Wat
erResi
stant 1.
340 1.
380
UHMWPE-Ultr
aHi
ghMol
ecul
arWei
ght
0.
930 0.
950
Pol
yet
hyl
ene
XLPE-Cr
ossl
i
nkedPol
yet
hyl
ene 0.
915 1.
400