High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWPE)
HMWPE is a thermoplastic, further classified as a polyethylene plastic. It has a very low tensile strength and a fairly low density among thermoplastics. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare HMWPE to: polyethylene plastics (top), all thermoplastics (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
0.7 GPa 0.1 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
17 MPa 2.5 x 103 psi
Other Material Properties
Density
0.95 g/cm3 59 lb/ft3
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 Hz
2.3
Heat Deflection Temperature At 455 kPa (66 psi)
75 °C 170 °F
Common Calculations
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
0.41 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
31 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
5.0 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
16 points
Followup Questions
Further Reading
SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed., Michael L. Berins (editor), 2000
Modern Plastics Handbook, Charles A. Harper (editor), 1999
Plastics Materials, 7th ed., J. A. Brydson, 1999