mLLDPE
ASTM D1248 · ISO 1872-1
mLLDPE is linear low-density polyethylene made with single-site metallocene catalysts (ASTM D1248), giving narrow molecular-weight distribution and even comonomer placement in hexene (C6) and octene (C8) versions, including plastomer, rotomoulding, FDA and medical grades.
Reference datasheet — mLLDPE 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.
Values for the NAT-C6 condition
mLLDPE grades and fills
mLLDPE is supplied in 7 conditions, soft to hard. NAT-C6 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 7 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metallocene plastomer / VLDPE (density 0.885–0.912) | Very-low-density mPE for ultra-low seal initiation temperature, soft flexible film, impact modification and blend toughening. | 6 | 22 | 900 | 33 Shore D |
Natural film grade, 1-octene copolymer | Choose when maximum dart impact, puncture resistance and low seal-initiation temperature are needed (heavy-duty sacks, sealant layers). | 10 | 33 | 850 | 47 Shore D |
NAT-C6Default Natural film grade, 1-hexene copolymer | Standard high-clarity blown-film mLLDPE for stretch/collation and packaging film; best balance of price and toughness. | 10 | 30 | 750 | 48 Shore D |
Slip / antiblock additivated film grade | Erucamide slip plus silica/talc antiblock for low COF film that runs on FFS and bagging lines. | 10 | 32 | 720 | 47 Shore D |
Injection-moulding grade | High melt-flow mLLDPE for thin-wall lids, closures and housewares needing ESCR and low-temperature impact. | 11 | 22 | 600 | 52 Shore D |
Carbon-black UV grade | Black, carbon-black-loaded version for maximum outdoor life in pipe liners, geomembrane and silage film; opaque only. | 11 | 28 | 700 | 50 Shore D |
Rotomoulding grade | Heat-stabilised, ground-powder mLLDPE for tanks and containers where impact at low temperature and ESCR matter. | 17 | 26 | 550 | 60 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways mLLDPE 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 | Food-contact / FDA-compliant grade | Certification |
MED | Medical / high-purity grade | Certification |
UV | UV-stabilised grade | Grade option |
What is mLLDPE?
mLLDPE is linear low-density polyethylene made with single-site metallocene catalysts (ASTM D1248), giving narrow molecular-weight distribution and even comonomer placement in hexene (C6) and octene (C8) versions, including plastomer, rotomoulding, FDA and medical grades. It is chosen for higher dart impact and puncture resistance, better clarity and a low heat-seal initiation temperature versus Ziegler-Natta LLDPE, and ships as film resin, rotomoulding powder and injection pellets; density 0.918 g/cm3, 10 MPa yield, 30 MPa tensile, 750% elongation, Shore D 48. Service is limited to 75 C and the narrow MWD raises melt pressure and melt-fracture risk, so conventional LLDPE remains cheaper for undemanding film. mLLDPE has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F). mLLDPE has a yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 750% and the elastic modulus is 0.25 GPa (0.0363 Msi).
What is mLLDPE used for?
- high-performance stretch film
- heavy-duty shipping sacks
- multilayer food packaging film
- agricultural film
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 750%, better than 99% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.01%, better than 97% 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
Limitations
- Low strength — 10 MPa (1.45 ksi), worse than 91% 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
mLLDPE properties
Typical room-temperature values for mLLDPE-NAT-C6; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
mLLDPE has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Mechanical12
mLLDPE has a yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 750% and the elastic modulus is 0.25 GPa (0.0363 Msi).
Thermal11
mLLDPE is rated for continuous service to 75°C (167 °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
mLLDPE is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm (711.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 91% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of mLLDPE takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 85% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
mLLDPE's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 73% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (90/100); formability excellent (92/100).
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. mLLDPE is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with mLLDPE
Is mLLDPE easy to machine?
Rarely machined; if needed use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and low feed with air cooling — the material is soft, gummy and springs back, so hold generous tolerances.
Can mLLDPE be welded?
Excellent heat sealing, hot-plate, impulse and extrusion welding to other PE; low seal-initiation temperature is a key selling point; no solvent bonding and adhesives need corona/flame surface treatment.
Can mLLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Mainly blown/cast film — narrow MWD gives high extruder pressure and melt-fracture risk, so use a PPA, wider die gaps and grooved-feed or high-torque screws; also rotomoulded (powder) and injection moulded at 190–235 °C with cold tooling.
mLLDPE 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-hexene or 1-octene comonomershort-chain branching from single-site metallocene catalyst; sets density/Tm | 3 – 12 | 8 |
| antioxidant / process stabiliserhindered phenol + phosphite | 0.05 – 0.3 | 0.15 |
| slip & antiblock additiveserucamide + silica/talc, film grades only | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| polymer processing aid (fluoroelastomer)reduces melt fracture typical of narrow-MWD mPE | 0 – 0.1 | 0.05 |
| ethylene (repeat unit)backbone monomer | ≥ 88 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on mLLDPE?
Non-polar surface: corona or flame treat to 38–42 dyn/cm before printing, laminating or coating; no plating; pigmenting via masterbatch.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to mLLDPE in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- D1248
- ISO
- 1872-1
- Also called
- m-LLDPE
How much does mLLDPE cost?
mLLDPE is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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.
mLLDPE — frequently asked
What is mLLDPE used for?
mLLDPE is typically used for high-performance stretch film, heavy-duty shipping sacks, multilayer food packaging film and agricultural film. In short: toughest LLDPE film resin; low seal-initiation temperature; narrow-MWD metallocene grade.
What is the yield strength of mLLDPE?
mLLDPE has a typical yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is mLLDPE easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 73% of polymer grades). Rarely machined; if needed use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and low feed with air cooling — the material is soft, gummy and springs back, so hold generous tolerances.
Can mLLDPE be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (90/100). Excellent heat sealing, hot-plate, impulse and extrusion welding to other PE; low seal-initiation temperature is a key selling point; no solvent bonding and adhesives need corona/flame surface treatment.
What surface finishes work on mLLDPE?
Non-polar surface: corona or flame treat to 38–42 dyn/cm before printing, laminating or coating; no plating; pigmenting via masterbatch.
Can mLLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Mainly blown/cast film — narrow MWD gives high extruder pressure and melt-fracture risk, so use a PPA, wider die gaps and grooved-feed or high-torque screws; also rotomoulded (powder) and injection moulded at 190–235 °C with cold tooling.
What is the maximum service temperature of mLLDPE?
mLLDPE is rated for continuous use to about 75°C (167 °F), and briefly to 95°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between mLLDPE NAT-C6 and mLLDPE ROTO?
NAT-C6 is the default condition — standard high-clarity blown-film mLLDPE for stretch/collation and packaging film; best balance of price and toughness. ROTO: heat-stabilised, ground-powder mLLDPE for tanks and containers where impact at low temperature and ESCR matter. Yield strength is 10 MPa in NAT-C6 versus 17 MPa in ROTO.
How much does mLLDPE cost?
mLLDPE is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2016)
- ISO 1872-1 — Plastics: Polyethylene (PE) moulding and extrusion materials, designation system — ISO (2023)
- ASTM D1238 — Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer — ASTM International (2023)
- Exceed / Enable metallocene PE film resin datasheets — ExxonMobil Chemical (2023)
- ELITE enhanced polyethylene and AFFINITY polyolefin plastomer datasheets — Dow (2023)
- CAMPUS / plastics property database — LLDPE film and injection grades — CWFG / CAMPUS consortium (2024)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
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.