Polyethylene, high-density (HDPE)
Semi-crystalline commodity thermoplastic; tough, cheap, chemically inert — pipes, containers, cutting boards.
Also called: high-density polyethylene, HDPE, PE-HD
| Property | Value | Source | Method | Conditions | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.95 g/cm³ | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D792 | 23 °C, dry | — |
| Young's modulus E | 1 GPa | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D638 | 23 °C, dry | 0.8–1.3 typical range |
| Tensile strength | 27 MPa | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D638 | 23 °C, dry | — |
| Glass transition Tg | -120 °C | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | DSC | 23 °C, dry | deep below room temperature — always in its ductile state in use |
| Melting point Tm | 131 °C | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | DSC | 23 °C, dry | — |
High-density polyethylene is a commodity semi-crystalline thermoplastic — tough, chemically resistant, low friction and inexpensive, with a density just under water.
It is the material of pressure and gas pipes, chemical tanks, containers and jerry cans, cutting boards, and geomembranes. Like PTFE it has low friction and good chemical resistance, but at a fraction of the cost and with better stiffness — which is exactly why people compare the two.
See where Polyethylene, high-density fits in a real product, and what it competes with:
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary. Always confirm against the supplier datasheet before design work. Data policy: docs/DATA-SOURCES.md in the repository.