Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Covestro, Bayer MaterialScience
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
Plastic Polycarbonate
Covestro Makrolon 2405 general-purpose PC (MVR 19), Covestro technical datasheet version 2026-09-28, typical values
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
Makrolon 2405 Technical Data SheetCovestroPlastic Polycarbonate · Yield strength: typical, tensile yieldPlastic Polycarbonate · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, stress at breakPlastic Polycarbonate · Flexural strength: typical, flexural strengthPlastic Polycarbonate · Elongation at break: typical, strain at breakPlastic Polycarbonate · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic Polycarbonate · Density: typicalPlastic Polycarbonate · Thermal conductivity: typical, through-plane, 23 CPlastic Polycarbonate · Thermal expansion: typical, 23-55 C, parallel and normalPlastic Polycarbonate · Glass transition: typical, DSC 10 C/minPlastic Polycarbonate · Max service temperature: UL 746B RTI, tensile strength, 1.5 mm
3
Engineering Polymers Part and Mold Design: Thermoplastics, A Design GuideCovestroarchived copyPlastic Polycarbonate · Poisson's ratio: typical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
4
Makrolon 2405 Data Sheet, ASTM valuesBayer MaterialSciencearchived copyPlastic Polycarbonate · Specific heat: typical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate is stronger: its yield strength is 65 MPa against 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (1.63x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 2,730 kg/m³ for Aluminum 3003-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Aluminum 3003-O is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, so the same part in Aluminum 3003-O deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 3003-O is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
Plastic Polycarbonate
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
12.6x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
2.36x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
35% heavier
Strong rod or tie
3.7x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
3.14x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
2.9x heavier
lighter
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate stretches further before it breaks: 125% elongation at break against 30% for Aluminum 3003-O.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Aluminum 3003-O expands less: 23.2 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.