What are Plastic Pallets Made of？
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Overview
Plastic pallets are a type of logistics unit used in conjunction with logistics equipment such as forklifts and shelves. They can be used to store, load and carry goods, and are one of the essential logistics equipment in modern logistics warehousing. The emergence of plastic pallets is to meet environmental protection needs. Using plastic pallets instead of wooden pallets can reduce the best product for forest damage. It is an inevitable product to adapt to the development of the logistics industry. With the continuous strengthening of food safety concepts and the high requirements for hygiene in the pharmaceutical industry, plastic pallets are favored and sought after by the food and pharmaceutical industries for their anti-corrosion, anti-moisture, anti-rust, anti-insect, and anti-mildew characteristics. In addition, plastic pallets have high load-bearing performance and long service life, and are widely used in chemical, textile, manufacturing and other fields.
Material Selection Of Plastic Pallets
The main materials of plastic pallets include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and modified polypropylene.
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): HDPE is a thermoplastic polyolefin generated by ethylene copolymerization. It is a highly crystalline, non-polar thermoplastic resin. The appearance of its original HDPE is milky white, and it is translucent to a certain extent in thin cross-sections. The plastic pallets made of this material not only have good impact resistance, high hardness, and excellent load-bearing capacity, but are also easy to reprocess and have minimal degradation characteristics. They can be placed in multiple layers, circulated on the ground, loaded on forklifts, and put on shelves. They are widely used and are currently pallets with relatively good circulation.
Polypropylene (PP): PP plastic pallets are known for their good impact resistance and chemical resistance and are suitable for the production of light to medium-sized pallets. Its operating temperature range is approximately between -20°C and 120°C, making it suitable for most normal and low-temperature storage environments.
Imported low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)
LLDPE is a copolymer formed by high-pressure or low-pressure polymerization of ethylene and a small amount of high-grade α-olefins under the action of a catalyst. It is suitable for various molding processes of thermoplastic molding and has good molding processability. The plastic pallet made of this material not only has the advantages of high strength, good toughness, strong rigidity, heat resistance, cold resistance, acid and alkali resistance, but also has good resistance to environmental stress cracking, tear strength and other properties, and is resistant to acids, alkalis, organic solvents, etc.
Performance Comparison Of Plastic Pallets Made Of Different Materials
High density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pallets:
Advantages: Usually having good flexibility and impact resistance, HDPE plastic pallets can absorb energy well when impacted by external force, and reduce damage to the pallet. For example, in the process of logistics transportation, when encountering collision or falling of goods, HDPE plastic pallets can effectively buffer and reduce the risk of damage; its low temperature resistance is excellent, and it is not easy to become brittle and crack in low temperature environment (such as cold storage), and it can still maintain good performance; good chemical stability, has a certain tolerance to various chemical substances such as acid and alkali, and can be used to store and transport various chemicals; non-toxic and odorless, in line with the hygiene requirements of food, medicine and other industries.
Disadvantages: HDPE plastic pallets have relatively weak strength and rigidity, and their carrying capacity may not be as good as pallets made of some other materials; long-term use in high temperature environment may cause deformation and other problems; its wear resistance is general, and the surface may be worn under frequent friction.
Polypropylene (PP) plastic pallets:
Advantages: They have high strength and rigidity, can bear heavy weight, and are suitable for storage and transportation of heavy goods; they have good heat resistance and can be used in high temperature environments, such as in some production workshops or storage environments with high temperatures, PP plastic pallets can still maintain stable performance; they have low density, making the pallets themselves lighter and easier to carry and operate.
Disadvantages: PP plastic pallets have poor low-temperature impact resistance and are easily brittle in low-temperature environments, which may cause the pallets to crack or be damaged, so they are not suitable for long-term use in cold areas or low-temperature environments; they have relatively poor flexibility and ductility, and may break when subjected to large external force impacts; their prices are usually relatively high.
Imported low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic pallets:
Advantages: Imported low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic pallets have very good toughness. When subjected to external forces, they can be greatly deformed but not easily broken, and have good impact resistance; they are resistant to acids and alkalis and can be used in corrosive chemical environments; the rotational molding process can produce particularly thick plastic pallets, making their overall structure more solid and able to withstand higher pressure and weight.
Disadvantages: The production process of LLDPE plastic pallets is relatively complex and the cost is high, so their price is also relatively expensive; due to the soft material, their load-bearing capacity may be relatively limited, and they are not suitable for carrying overweight goods; the dimensional stability of this type of pallet is relatively poor, and the size may change when used for a long time or exposed to high temperatures.
Factors for Selecting Plastic Pallet Materials
Temperature conditions
If the use environment is often in a high temperature state, such as some specific industrial production workshops or outdoor storage places in hot climates, then materials with better heat resistance should be preferred. For example, plastic pallets made of polypropylene (PP) materials have high heat resistance, are not easy to deform in high temperature environments, and can maintain structural stability.
If used in low temperature environments, such as cold storage and other places, polyethylene (PE) materials may be more suitable. Because PE has good low temperature resistance, it will not become brittle at low temperatures, which can ensure the normal use of pallets.
Contact with chemicals
If the pallet will be exposed to various chemicals, such as acids, alkalis, organic solvents, etc., it is necessary to select materials that are resistant to these chemicals. For example, some specially formulated polyethylene or polypropylene materials may have good resistance to specific chemicals and can prevent the pallet from being corroded and damaged.
Load requirements
For the case of carrying lighter goods, more economical materials and thinner pallet designs can be selected. But if you need to carry heavier goods, you must choose materials with high strength and good rigidity. Generally speaking, polypropylene materials have relatively high hardness and strength and can withstand heavier loads.
Cost considerations
The prices of plastic pallets made of different materials will vary. Generally speaking, the price of pallets made of ordinary polyethylene materials is relatively low, while the price of pallets made of some high-performance materials or special processes may be higher. On the premise of meeting the use requirements, you can choose a more economical material to reduce the initial purchase cost.
Conclusion
Plastic pallets are mainly made of high density polyethylene polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP), and may be reinforced with glass fiber and additives such as anti-aging agents and flame retardants. With the continuous advancement of technology and changes in market demand, the materials used to make plastic pallets are expected to be more diversified and high-performance in the future. New materials may emerge or existing materials may be further improved to improve the performance of plastic pallets, such as higher load-bearing capacity, better durability, and stronger ability to adapt to the environment.
