HMWPE
A subclass of HDPE with molecular weight in the 200,000-500,000 g/mol range giving superior impact strength, stress-crack resistance and abrasion resistance versus standard HDPE; common in pipe and liner grades.
Reference datasheet — HMWPE is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
HMWPE grades and fills
HMWPE is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flame-retardant compound | Mineral- or halogen-FR filled compound for mining ducting, cable conduit and enclosure liners with fire-rating requirements. | 18 | 19 | 120 | 65 Shore D |
PE80 pressure-pipe grade | Lower-cost pipe grade for gas distribution and smaller-diameter water lines where PE100 design stress is not required. | 21 | 25 | 750 | 60 Shore D |
Recycled / regrind HMW-HDPE | Cost- and carbon-reduced option for non-pressure sheet, drainage pipe cores and pallets where property scatter is acceptable. | 22 | 25 | 300 | 64 Shore D |
Antistatic / conductive carbon-black filled | Use in coal/grain chutes, mining liners and fuel-handling parts where static discharge must be avoided. | 23 | 22 | 250 | 68 Shore D |
Black, carbon-black UV stabilized | Choose for any long-term outdoor exposure: pipe, geomembrane, tank and marine dock fenders. | 25 | 30 | 700 | 66 Shore D |
PE100 bimodal pressure-pipe grade | Pick for buried water/gas pressure pipe and fittings needing 50-year hydrostatic design strength and high slow-crack-growth resistance. | 25 | 34 | 700 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways HMWPE is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FDA | FDA / food-contact & potable-water certified grade | Certification |
NATDefault | Natural / unpigmented HMW-HDPE | Standard supply |
What is HMWPE?
A subclass of HDPE with molecular weight in the 200,000-500,000 g/mol range giving superior impact strength, stress-crack resistance and abrasion resistance versus standard HDPE; common in pipe and liner grades. HMWPE has a density of 0.95 g/cm³ (0.0344 lb/in³), lighter than 75% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F). HMWPE has a yield strength of 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 76% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi).
What is HMWPE used for?
- Gas and water pipe
- Geomembranes and liners
- Large blow-molded tanks
- Wear liners
- Cable jacketing
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.01%, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 700%, better than 96% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 93/100, better than 95% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High mold shrinkage — 2.5%, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 24 MPa (3.48 ksi), worse than 76% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 25/100, worse than 76% of polymer grades
HMWPE properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
HMWPE has a density of 0.95 g/cm³ (0.0344 lb/in³), lighter than 75% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Mechanical16
HMWPE has a yield strength of 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 76% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi).
Thermal11
HMWPE is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 160 µm/m·K (88.9 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
HMWPE is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 24 kV/mm (609.6 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (93/100), better than 95% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of HMWPE takes about 78 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 88% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability8
HMWPE's machinability is good (62/100, better than 60% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (92/100); formability very good (78/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. HMWPE is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with HMWPE
Is HMWPE easy to machine?
Very machinable but soft and gummy — use sharp high-rake single-flute tools, high speed with low feed pressure, air blast cooling; expect springback and stress relaxation, so allow generous tolerances and stress-relieve thick sheet before finish cuts.
Can HMWPE be welded?
Excellent thermoplastic weldability: butt fusion, electrofusion, hot-gas and extrusion welding give near-parent-strength joints; adhesive bonding is poor without corona, flame or plasma surface treatment.
Can HMWPE be formed, bent or molded?
Low melt index means extrusion (sheet, pipe, profile) and blow molding rather than injection molding; high melt pressures and grooved-feed extruders are typical, mold shrinkage 1.5–4% with significant post-shrinkage.
HMWPE chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-butene / 1-hexene comonomershort-chain branching controls density and ESCR | 0.2 – 2.5 | 1 |
| antioxidant / process stabilizer packagehindered phenol + phosphite | 0.05 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| carbon blackblack UV-stabilized and pipe grades only (ISO 4427 / ASTM D3350) | 2 – 2.6 | 2.3 |
| ethylene (repeat unit)Ziegler-Natta or chromium-catalysed HDPE backbone, Mw ≈ 200,000–500,000 g/mol | ≥ 97.5 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on HMWPE?
Cannot be plated or painted without pretreatment; use flame/corona treatment for printing and labels, machined or embossed textures for grip, and carbon-black pigmentation instead of coatings for UV protection.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to HMWPE in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- HMW-HDPE
- Similar grades
- D3350
How much does HMWPE cost?
HMWPE is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
HMWPE — frequently asked
What is HMWPE used for?
HMWPE is typically used for gas and water pipe, geomembranes and liners, large blow-molded tanks, wear liners and cable jacketing. In short: stress-crack resistant HDPE; pipe and liner polyethylene; cheaper than UHMW-PE.
What is the yield strength of HMWPE?
HMWPE has a typical yield strength of 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 76% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is HMWPE easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (62/100, better than 60% of polymer grades). Very machinable but soft and gummy — use sharp high-rake single-flute tools, high speed with low feed pressure, air blast cooling; expect springback and stress relaxation, so allow generous tolerances and stress-relieve thick sheet before finish cuts.
Can HMWPE be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (92/100). Excellent thermoplastic weldability: butt fusion, electrofusion, hot-gas and extrusion welding give near-parent-strength joints; adhesive bonding is poor without corona, flame or plasma surface treatment.
What surface finishes work on HMWPE?
Cannot be plated or painted without pretreatment; use flame/corona treatment for printing and labels, machined or embossed textures for grip, and carbon-black pigmentation instead of coatings for UV protection.
Can HMWPE be formed, bent or molded?
Low melt index means extrusion (sheet, pipe, profile) and blow molding rather than injection molding; high melt pressures and grooved-feed extruders are typical, mold shrinkage 1.5–4% with significant post-shrinkage.
What is the maximum service temperature of HMWPE?
HMWPE is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 110°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does HMWPE cost?
HMWPE is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM D3350 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Pipe and Fittings Materials — ASTM International (2021)
- ASTM D4976 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2019)
- ISO 4427 Plastics piping systems — Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings for water supply — ISO (2019)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Hostalen / Lupolen HMW-HDPE pipe and sheet grade datasheets — LyondellBasell (2023)
- Continuum / DGDA bimodal HDPE pipe resin datasheets — Dow (2023)
- CAMPUS polyethylene datasets (ISO 10350 property set) — CAMPUS Plastics (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.