VLDPE
ASTM D883 · ISO 1872-1
An ethylene copolymer (usually with octene/butene, density <0.915 g/cm³) made via metallocene or Ziegler-Natta catalysis; chosen for extreme flexibility, elasticity and low-temperature toughness beyond what LLDPE offers.
Reference datasheet — VLDPE 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.
VLDPE grades and fills
VLDPE 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Impact-modifier / compounding grade | Very low density plastomer sold as a toughening masterbatch component for PP, HDPE and LLDPE blends. | 3 | 8 | 1,000 | 24 Shore D |
Metallocene-catalysed plastomer | Pick for narrowest composition distribution, lowest density/modulus, best clarity, seal initiation and impact modification. | 4 | 14 | 900 | 28 Shore D |
Octene (C8) copolymer VLDPE | Choose for maximum tear resistance, puncture strength and low-temperature toughness in heavy-duty film. | 5 | 20 | 850 | 34 Shore D |
Injection moulding grade | High-flow VLDPE for thin-wall soft mouldings, closures, bellows and over-moulded soft touch parts. | 6 | 11 | 600 | 39 Shore D |
Rotomoulding / powder grade | Ground 35-mesh powder version used for soft, impact-tough rotomoulded liners, bladders and toys. | 6 | 15 | 700 | 38 Shore D |
Butene (C4) copolymer VLDPE | Lowest-cost VLDPE; adequate flexibility but lower tear/impact than hexene or octene grades. | 8 | 14 | 700 | 42 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways VLDPE 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 | Film grade | Supply form |
FDA | Food-contact / medical grade | Certification |
UV | UV-stabilized grade | Grade option |
NATDefault | Unfilled / Natural | Standard supply |
What is VLDPE?
An ethylene copolymer (usually with octene/butene, density <0.915 g/cm³) made via metallocene or Ziegler-Natta catalysis; chosen for extreme flexibility, elasticity and low-temperature toughness beyond what LLDPE offers. VLDPE has a density of 0.9 g/cm³ (0.0326 lb/in³), lighter than 82% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -125°C (-193 °F). VLDPE has a yield strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 750% and the elastic modulus is 0.06 GPa (0.0087 Msi).
What is VLDPE used for?
- stretch/cling film
- flexible hose and tubing
- impact modifiers
- gaskets and seals
- ice/frost-resistant packaging
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 750%, better than 99% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 95/100, better than 99% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 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
Limitations
- Low strength — 6 MPa (0.87 ksi), worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 60°C (140 °F), worse than 87% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2.2%, worse than 87% of polymer grades
VLDPE properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
VLDPE has a density of 0.9 g/cm³ (0.0326 lb/in³), lighter than 82% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -125°C (-193 °F).
Mechanical11
VLDPE has a yield strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 750% and the elastic modulus is 0.06 GPa (0.0087 Msi).
Thermal10
VLDPE is rated for continuous service to 60°C (140 °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 220 µm/m·K (122.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
VLDPE is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 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 VLDPE takes about 78 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 88% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
VLDPE's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (92/100); formability excellent (95/100).
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. VLDPE is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with VLDPE
Is VLDPE easy to machine?
Very soft and rubbery — use sharp single-flute or O-flute tools, high speed with low feed pressure, chill the stock or use compressed air to prevent smearing; not suitable for precision machining.
Can VLDPE be welded?
Excellent heat sealing, impulse, hot-plate and hot-gas/extrusion welding to itself and to LLDPE/LDPE; low seal-initiation temperature (as low as ~70 °C) is a key selling point; solvent bonding and adhesives require corona or flame treatment.
Can VLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Extrudes and blows easily at 160–230 °C melt; low melt strength for large bubbles, so blend with LDPE for bubble stability; injection shrinkage is high (1.5–3.5 %) and parts stay soft, so allow long cooling and generous draft.
VLDPE 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-octenetypical comonomer in metallocene/solution-process grades | 0 – 18 | 10 |
| 1-hexenealternative comonomer | 0 – 15 | 0 |
| 1-butenealternative comonomer, lowest cost | 0 – 12 | 0 |
| antioxidant / process stabilizerhindered phenol + phosphite | 0.05 – 0.3 | 0.15 |
| slip / antiblock additiveerucamide + silica, film grades only | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| ethylenemain chain unit | ≥ 82 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on VLDPE?
Non-polar surface must be corona, plasma or flame treated (≥38 dyn/cm) before printing, laminating or painting; cannot be polished or plated, and pigment must be compounded rather than surface-coated.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to VLDPE in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- D883
- ISO
- 1872-1
How much does VLDPE cost?
VLDPE 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.
VLDPE — frequently asked
What is VLDPE used for?
VLDPE is typically used for stretch/cling film, flexible hose and tubing, impact modifiers, gaskets and seals and ice/frost-resistant packaging. In short: softest polyethylene family member; lowest seal-initiation temperature; best cold-impact PE film.
What is the yield strength of VLDPE?
VLDPE has a typical yield strength of 6 MPa (0.87 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is VLDPE easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades). Very soft and rubbery — use sharp single-flute or O-flute tools, high speed with low feed pressure, chill the stock or use compressed air to prevent smearing; not suitable for precision machining.
Can VLDPE be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (92/100). Excellent heat sealing, impulse, hot-plate and hot-gas/extrusion welding to itself and to LLDPE/LDPE; low seal-initiation temperature (as low as ~70 °C) is a key selling point; solvent bonding and adhesives require corona or flame treatment.
What surface finishes work on VLDPE?
Non-polar surface must be corona, plasma or flame treated (≥38 dyn/cm) before printing, laminating or painting; cannot be polished or plated, and pigment must be compounded rather than surface-coated.
Can VLDPE be formed, bent or molded?
Extrudes and blows easily at 160–230 °C melt; low melt strength for large bubbles, so blend with LDPE for bubble stability; injection shrinkage is high (1.5–3.5 %) and parts stay soft, so allow long cooling and generous draft.
What is the maximum service temperature of VLDPE?
VLDPE is rated for continuous use to about 60°C (140 °F), and briefly to 85°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does VLDPE cost?
VLDPE 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 D883 – Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics (polyethylene density classes) — ASTM International (2024)
- ISO 1872-1 – Plastics: Polyethylene (PE) moulding and extrusion materials, designation system — ISO (2023)
- ISO 1133 – Determination of melt mass-flow rate (MFR) — ISO (2022)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Ethylene-octene plastomer / VLDPE resin datasheets (Dow AFFINITY & FLEXOMER, ExxonMobil EXACT, Mitsui TAFMER, SABIC) — Resin producers (2024)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector polyolefin property records — CWFG / UL Solutions (2024)
- GB/T 11115 – (PE) (2009)
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.