HMWPE RECY
Grade
RECY = recycled / regrind HMW-HDPE
Cost- and carbon-reduced option for non-pressure sheet, drainage pipe cores and pallets where property scatter is acceptable.
Values for the RECY condition
Other HMWPE grades and fills
HMWPE is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at HMWPE.
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 |
RECYThis page 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 | — |
What is HMWPE RECY?
HMWPE RECY is HMWPE in the RECY grade — cost- and carbon-reduced option for non-pressure sheet, drainage pipe cores and pallets where property scatter is acceptable. HMWPE RECY has a yield strength of 22 MPa (3.19 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 300% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi). HMWPE RECY has a density of 0.96 g/cm³ (0.0345 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 0.7 kg CO₂/kg, better than 100% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.01%, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.44 W/m·K (0.254 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 80/100, better than 86% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 90/100, better than 82% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 22 MPa (3.19 ksi), worse than 78% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 25/100, worse than 76% of polymer grades
HMWPE RECY properties
Typical room-temperature values for HMWPE RECY; 29 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are HMWPE reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
HMWPE RECY has a density of 0.96 g/cm³ (0.0345 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Mechanical16
HMWPE RECY has a yield strength of 22 MPa (3.19 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 300% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi).
Thermal11
HMWPE RECY is rated for continuous service to 75°C (167 °F). It conducts heat at 0.44 W/m·K (0.254 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 160 µm/m·K (88.9 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
HMWPE RECY 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 (90/100), better than 82% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of HMWPE RECY takes about 22 MJ of energy and emits 0.7 kg of CO₂ — less than 100% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 100%.
Manufacturability8
HMWPE RECY's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability very good (80/100); formability good (60/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with HMWPE RECY
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.
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.
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) | — |
HMWPE RECY — frequently asked
What is HMWPE RECY used for?
HMWPE RECY 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 RECY?
HMWPE RECY has a typical yield strength of 22 MPa (3.19 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is HMWPE RECY easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% 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 RECY be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (80/100). 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 RECY?
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 RECY 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 RECY?
HMWPE RECY is rated for continuous use to about 75°C (167 °F), and briefly to 110°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.