LLDPE
ASTM D1248 Type I · ISO PE-LLD
Copolymer of ethylene with alpha-olefins (butene, hexene, octene) giving a linear backbone with short-chain branching; offers higher tensile strength, puncture and tear resistance than LDPE at similar density.
Reference datasheet — LLDPE 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.
LLDPE grades and fills
LLDPE 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metallocene LLDPE | Choose the narrow-MWD metallocene C6/C8 resin for films and seal layers needing higher clarity, heat sealability and puncture/tear strength, reaching 45 MPa tensile and 800 % elongation. | 10 | 45 | 800 | 46 Shore D |
Injection-moulding grade | Choose the high-MFI 15–50 injection grade for thin-wall closures, containers and toys where fast filling and short cycles rule; tensile 18 MPa and ESCR sit below the film grades. | 11 | 18 | 500 | 52 Shore D |
Flame-retardant | Pick for low-smoke halogen-free cable sheathing and building products: about 60 % ATH/MDH mineral loading buys V-0 and LOI ≥ 30 but cuts elongation to 180 % and hurts flexibility and processing. | 11 | 12 | 180 | 58 Shore D |
Carbon-black (2–2.5 %) weatherable black compound | Pick the 2–2.5 % carbon-black compound for mulch film, geomembranes, pipe and cable jacketing where the best long-term outdoor weathering matters; the part is opaque black, elongation 650 %. | 12 | 26 | 650 | 52 Shore D |
Crosslinkable / peroxide-crosslinked LLDPE | Choose for fuel tanks, chemical tanks and wire insulation where peroxide crosslinking raises heat resistance to 105 °C plus ESCR and hydrocarbon resistance, but the part can no longer be remelted or recycled. | 14 | 20 | 400 | 58 Shore D |
Rotomoulding grade | Use the hexene rotomoulding grade at ~0.935 g/cm³ and MFI 3–6 for water tanks, chemical tanks and road barriers; powder flow and sintering are good with excellent low-temperature impact. | 17 | 22 | 600 | 58 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways LLDPE is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FILM | Blown/cast film grade | Supply form |
AS | Antistatic / ESD film grade | Coating |
FDA | Food-contact / FDA & GB 4806 compliant grade | Certification |
UV | UV-stabilized (HALS) grade | Grade option |
NATDefault | Unfilled / Natural | Standard supply |
What is LLDPE?
Copolymer of ethylene with alpha-olefins (butene, hexene, octene) giving a linear backbone with short-chain branching; offers higher tensile strength, puncture and tear resistance than LDPE at similar density. LLDPE has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -110°C (-166 °F). LLDPE has a yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.25 GPa (0.0363 Msi).
What is LLDPE used for?
- Stretch and shrink film
- Flexible packaging film
- Cable insulation
- Rotomolded tanks
- Agricultural film
Advantages
- Low moisture uptake — 0.01%, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 700%, better than 96% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2 kg CO₂/kg, better than 96% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 90/100, better than 94% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Low strength — 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 25/100, worse than 76% of polymer grades
LLDPE properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
LLDPE has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -110°C (-166 °F).
Mechanical17
LLDPE has a yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.25 GPa (0.0363 Msi).
Thermal11
LLDPE is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.33 W/m·K (0.191 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 89% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 180 µm/m·K (100 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
LLDPE is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁵ 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 LLDPE takes about 78 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 88% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability8
LLDPE's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (90/100); formability excellent (90/100).
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. LLDPE is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with LLDPE
Is LLDPE easy to machine?
Turns, mills and drills, but the material is soft and gummy: use sharp large positive-rake tools, high spindle speed, generous feed and air cooling to clear chips and avoid heat distortion. Dimensions drift with temperature and internal stress, so it is unsuitable for tight-tolerance machined parts.
Can LLDPE be welded?
Heat fusion is excellent — hot-plate, hot-gas rod, extrusion welding, heat sealing and ultrasonic or RF welding (RF needs polar additives) all work. Only crosslinked XL grades cannot be re-welded.
Can LLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Processed mainly by blown or cast film, injection moulding, rotomoulding and extrusion. Melt strength is lower than LDPE, so blown film needs higher back pressure and air-ring adjustment; shrinkage is 1.5–3%, and rotomoulded wall thickness should be compensated for about 3% shrink.
LLDPE 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 / 1-octene comonomerα-olefin giving short-chain branching; C6/C8 give better tear & ESCR than C4 | 1 – 12 | 7 |
| antioxidant / process stabilizer packagehindered phenol + phosphite | 0.05 – 0.3 | 0.15 |
| slip / antiblock (film grades)erucamide + silica/talc | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| carbon black (black grades)UV protection, ASTM D1248 Class C | 0 – 2.5 | 2.3 |
| ethylene (C2H4) repeat unitlinear backbone | ≥ 88 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on LLDPE?
The non-polar surface must be corona-, flame- or plasma-treated to at least 38 dyn/cm before printing, coating or adhesive bonding. Plating is not possible; colour with masterbatch rather than paint.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to LLDPE in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- D1248 Type I
- ISO
- PE-LLD
How much does LLDPE cost?
LLDPE 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.
LLDPE — frequently asked
What is LLDPE used for?
LLDPE is typically used for stretch and shrink film, flexible packaging film, cable insulation, rotomolded tanks and agricultural film. In short: tear-tough LDPE upgrade; standard rotomoulding resin; excellent heat-fusion weldability.
What is the yield strength of LLDPE?
LLDPE has a typical yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is LLDPE easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Turns, mills and drills, but the material is soft and gummy: use sharp large positive-rake tools, high spindle speed, generous feed and air cooling to clear chips and avoid heat distortion. Dimensions drift with temperature and internal stress, so it is unsuitable for tight-tolerance machined parts.
Can LLDPE be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (90/100). Heat fusion is excellent — hot-plate, hot-gas rod, extrusion welding, heat sealing and ultrasonic or RF welding (RF needs polar additives) all work. Only crosslinked XL grades cannot be re-welded.
What surface finishes work on LLDPE?
The non-polar surface must be corona-, flame- or plasma-treated to at least 38 dyn/cm before printing, coating or adhesive bonding. Plating is not possible; colour with masterbatch rather than paint.
Can LLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Processed mainly by blown or cast film, injection moulding, rotomoulding and extrusion. Melt strength is lower than LDPE, so blown film needs higher back pressure and air-ring adjustment; shrinkage is 1.5–3%, and rotomoulded wall thickness should be compensated for about 3% shrink.
What is the maximum service temperature of LLDPE?
LLDPE is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 95°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does LLDPE cost?
LLDPE 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 D1248 — Polyethylene Plastics Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2016)
- ASTM D638 / D790 / D1238 / D256 test methods — ASTM International (2022)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector polyethylene datasheets — CAMPUS Consortium / UL (2024)
- LLDPE film, injection and rotomoulding grade datasheets — Dow / ExxonMobil / SABIC / Borealis / Sinopec (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.