Mechanical, Thermal, Electrical Properties of Popular Plastic Materials

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Typical Property Data to Compare Types of Plastics

Property

Units

 ABS Noryl Noryl 30% glass filled Nylon MD

Nylatron,
Unfilled®

 Nylon NSM Nylon GSM HDPE UHMW LDPE Polysulfone Polypropylene Acetal PVC
Type 1

PBT

 PEEK PTFE Polycarbonate
 Acrylic
Water Absorption (24 Hours)
%
0.3 .07 .06 1.2
1.2
.25 1.2 .03 .01   .30 .008 .25 .10 .07 .15 - .02 .03
Water Absorption (Saturation) % 0.7 .20 - 6.5 9.0 7.0 6.5   .01   - - .90 - - - - - -
Tensile Strength (73 °F)
PSI
6,500 9,600 17,800 12,500
12,400
11,000 12,500 4,600 4,750     4,800 10,000 7,000 9,400
7,200L		 14,500 3,350 10,500 10,000
Flexural Strength (73 °F)
PSI
11,000 13,500 20,000 16,400
14,000
16,000 16,400 1,400 3,500     7,000 14,300 12,500 - 24,650 no break 12,000 17,000
Compressive Strength
(10% Deflection)
PSI
6,750 - - 10,000
12,000
14,000 10,000 4,570 -   4,000 6,720 18,000 10,830 - 17,000 - 11,000  
Shear Strength (73 °F)
PSI
- - - 11,000
9,600
10,000 11,000 3,380 -     5,710 9,500 9,240 - 7,690 - 9,200  
Impact Strength, Notched Izod
(73 °F)
Ft-Lbs/In.
- 5.0 2.3 .8 - 1.0
1.2
0.5 .8 - 1.0 3 no break   1.2 1.9 1.5 1.3 .7 1.6 - 13 .9
Elongation at Break (73 °F)
%
20 30 - 50
90
20 50 55 325     - 60 25 - 50 210 100 5
Tensile Modulus of Elasticity (73 °F)
PSI
320,000 350,000 - 400,000
400,000
410,000 400,000 170,000 90,000   360,000 190,000 450,000 410,000 420,000
380,000L		 580,000 70,000 320,000  
Flexural Modulus of Elasticity
(73 °F)
PSI
330,000 360,000 1,100,000 400,000
410,000
475,000 400,000 200,000 110,000   390,000 180,000 425,000 420,000 420,000
390,000L		 594,500 100,000 375,000 400,000
Hardness - Rockwell & Burnell
(73 °F)
Various
Scales
R105 R119 L108 R120
R120
R110 R120 D69 R64   R92 R92 R120 R112 - R126 R15 R118 M-93
Density
Lbs/cubic In
0.037 .039 .049 0.041
0.0415
0.0415 .0418 .034 .034     .032 .051 0.053 .0473 .047 .079 .043 .044
Coefficient of Friction (Dynamic)
None
- .39 - .35
0.35
.18 .35   .12     - .25 - .25
.11 L		 .34 0.07 -  
Wear Factor (K)
In-min/
Ft-Lbs-Hr
- - - 8
72
  83   111     - 216 - 210
38 L		 200 - -  
Limiting PV
PSI/
 FPM
- - - 3,000
2,700
12,300 3,000   2,000     - 2,700 - 6,000
15,700 L		 20,000 - -  
Abrasion Resistance Index
None
- - - -
54
- -   10     - 137 - - 55 78 - -
Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
In/In/F
4.0x105 3.3x105 1.4x105 5.0x105
5.0x105
5.9x103 5.0x105 1.25x104 7.2x105   3.1 x 105 1.20x104 5.0x105 7.3x105 - 2.6x105 6.5x105 3.9 x 105 1.3 x 104
Continuous Service Temperature - in Air (max.)
F
185 220 220 212
212
200 212 180 160     - 180 160 221 480 500 475 180
Deflection Temperature (264 PSI)
F
220 265 265 200
194
200 200 151 116   345 - 260 154 200 320 115 539 -
Melting Point
F
- 310 310 430
491
420 430   -     - 347 360 - 640 621 - -
Deformation Under Load
(2000 PSI, 122 °F)
%
- - - .75
2.0
- .75   7     - .60 - - - 5 - -
Dielectric Strength
Volts/
Mil
450 500 530 550
400
- 550 500 -   425 - 380 552 - - - 840  
Dielectric Constant (1 kHz)
None
2.87 - - 3.7
4.1
- 3.7   -     - 3.7 - - - - 4.4 3
Dielectric Constant (1 MHz)
None
- - - 3.7
4.0
- 3.7   -     - 3.7 - - - - 4.2 3
Dielectric Constant (60 Hz)
None
- 2.7 3.2 3.7
3.4
- 3.7 2.65 2.3   3.15 2.3 3.7 4.0 - 3.3 - - 3
Volume Resistively Ohm-CM   10-17 10-17        
1x1015
      1x1017           6 x 1016 -