Thermoplastic comparison
Polylactic acid (PLA) vs PVC, rigid (uPVC)
Every value below is a typical room-temperature figure with its source, test method and conditions — the same dataset that drives the calculators.
| Property | Polylactic acid (PLA) | PVC, rigid (uPVC) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ | 1.4 g/cm³ | PVC, rigid (uPVC) — 13% higher |
| Young's modulus E | 3.5 GPa | 3 GPa | Polylactic acid (PLA) — 17% higher |
| Tensile strength | 50 MPa | 48 MPa | Polylactic acid (PLA) — 4% higher |
| Glass transition Tg | 58 °C | 82 °C | PVC, rigid (uPVC) — 24 °C higher |
Where these numbers come from
- Farah, Anderson & Langer, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 107 (2016) 367–392 — comprehensive PLA property review
- MakeItFrom.com materials database — typical grade values
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary widely and a supplier datasheet always overrides a textbook figure. Confirm against the datasheet before design work.