Also known as: Polyethylene Foam, Polythene foam, PE foam sheet, Polyethylene plank
PE foam is the family of closed-cell foams made from polyethylene. It includes non-cross-linked extruded EPE sheet and plank (18–45 kg/m³) and cross-linked XLPE, XPE and IXPE grades (25–200 kg/m³). All are flexible, moisture-proof, recover after impact and recycle as LDPE, which makes PE foam the standard cushioning material for industrial packaging in India.
The phrase "PE foam" covers several products that are sold under different names and behave differently, so the first job on any enquiry is to establish which one is meant. Expanded polyethylene (EPE) is the non-cross-linked, extruded sheet and roll foam that dominates Indian packaging: coarse cells, 18–45 kg/m³, produced from 0.8 mm to about 10 mm in one pass and laminated above that. Extruded PE plank is the same chemistry produced as a thick board — typically 30–110 kg/m³ and 25–100 mm thick — and is what international buyers mean by "polyethylene foam" for heavy-duty fitments. Cross-linked grades (XLPE, XPE, IXPE) add chemical or irradiation cross-linking for a fine cell, smooth skin and lower compression set.
What unites the family is the polymer. Polyethylene is tough, chemically inert, unaffected by water and stable from about −40 °C to 70 °C (higher for cross-linked grades). Closed cells mean the foam floats, does not absorb condensation and does not rot. The cell walls flex rather than fracture, so PE foam recovers after a drop and keeps working through the repeated handling of road freight and multi-leg export. These are the properties that made PE foam the replacement for thermocol in most engineering, appliance and electronics packs.
Density is the specification that matters commercially, because PE foam is quoted and sold by weight. A sheet of 1000 mm width at 25 kg/m³ weighs 25 g/m² per millimetre of thickness: 2 mm sheet is 50 g/m², 5 mm is 125 g/m², 10 mm is 250 g/m². Importers comparing with US or European data sheets should convert pounds per cubic foot at 1 pcf ≈ 16 kg/m³, so a "2.2 lb" plank is about 35 kg/m³ and a "4 lb" plank about 64 kg/m³.
Forms and fabrication: sheet and roll for wrapping and interleaving; laminated planks and blocks for die-cut and CNC-routed fitments; extruded profiles (U-channels, corner blocks, tubes, edge buffers) for edges and cylinders; foam bags and pouches; and film-laminated or metallised grades for abrasion resistance, appearance or reflective insulation. Anti-static pink and carbon-black conductive PE foam serve electronics. Self-adhesive backing is available on sheet and profile.
PE foam competes with EVA where a firm, rigid-walled cavity is needed (EVA wins on wall stiffness and finish), with PU where a soft conforming face is needed (PU wins on surface protection), and with EPS where thermal insulation at minimum cost matters (EPS wins on insulation and price, loses on repeat impact and debris). For most Indian industrial packs, PE foam handles the structural cushioning and one of the others is added only where its specific advantage is required.
From an EPR standpoint PE foam is Category I rigid plastic packaging, recycles in the LDPE stream (resin code 4) and, unlike cross-linked grades, non-cross-linked EPE can be re-extruded from clean offcuts.
PE Foam at a glance
| Polymer | Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), resin code 4 |
|---|---|
| Family members | EPE (non-cross-linked), extruded PE plank, XLPE / XPE / IXPE (cross-linked) |
| Density | EPE 18–45 kg/m³; plank 30–110 kg/m³; cross-linked 25–200 kg/m³ |
| Weight per m² | Thickness (mm) × density (kg/m³) → g/m²; e.g. 5 mm at 25 kg/m³ = 125 g/m² |
| Unit conversion | 1 lb/ft³ ≈ 16 kg/m³ |
| Temperature range | Approx. −40 °C to 70 °C (EPE); higher for cross-linked grades |
| Water absorption | Negligible — closed cell |
| Forms | Sheet, roll, plank, profile, tube, bag, die-cut and CNC fitment |
Common questions
Is PE foam the same as EPE foam?
EPE is one type of PE foam — the non-cross-linked, extruded sheet grade that is most common in India. PE foam also includes extruded plank and cross-linked XLPE, XPE and IXPE. When a drawing says "PE foam" without a density or grade, ask which is intended before quoting.
What density of PE foam should I use for packaging?
For general wrapping and light goods 18–25 kg/m³; for machined parts, pumps and appliances 25–35 kg/m³; for heavy concentrated loads 35–45 kg/m³ or a laminated plank. Density is chosen from product weight divided by foam contact area, then thickness is set from the drop height the pack must survive.
How is PE foam priced?
By net weight, quoted per kilogram for a given density and thickness. Because a kilogram of 25 kg/m³ foam covers twice the area of a kilogram of 50 kg/m³ foam at the same thickness, the useful comparison between two offers is cost per square metre or per fitment, not price per kg alone.
Is PE foam recyclable in India?
Yes. Non-cross-linked EPE is reground and re-extruded, and clean offcuts are accepted by LDPE recyclers. Cross-linked PE foam is recyclable only as ground filler because it cannot be re-melted. Both are classed as rigid plastic (Category I) for EPR filing.
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