Materials / Compare
Brass C260 vs. Plastic Polycarbonate
Compare Brass C260 vs. Plastic Polycarbonate strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 345MPasourcenominal, strip/flat, 0.5% extension (not 0.2% offset) | 65MPasourcetypical, tensile yield |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 427MPasourcenominal, strip/flat | 65MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 97MPasourcetypical, flexural strength |
| Elongation at break | 23%sourcenominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat | 125%sourcetypical, strain at break |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 110GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 2.4GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,525kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,200kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 40.5kN·m/kg | 54.2kN·m/kg34% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 12.9MN·m/kg6.47x higher | 2MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-M30 = CuZn30 = C26000, rolled products) | 0.38sourcetypical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | 41.2GPa47.3x stiffer in shear | 0.87GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 115GPa | 3.33GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,597m/s | 1,414m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 121W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.2W/m·Ksourcetypical, through-plane, 23 C |
| Thermal expansion | 20µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | 65µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 23-55 C, parallel and normal |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 100µm growth3.25x less | 325µm growth |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 1,172J/kg·Ksourcetypical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766 |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 37.7mm²/s265x faster | 0.142mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 12,510W/m242x more resistant | 51.7W/m |
| Melting point | 916–954°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | not sourced |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 144°Csourcetypical, DSC 10 C/min |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 125°CsourceUL 746B RTI, tensile strength, 1.5 mm |
| Values for | C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical) | Covestro Makrolon 2405 general-purpose PC (MVR 19), Covestro technical datasheet version 2026-09-28, typical values |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Brass C260 stronger than Plastic Polycarbonate?
Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 65 MPa for Plastic Polycarbonate (5.31x).
Which is lighter, Brass C260 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.
Which is stiffer, Brass C260 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Brass C260 is stiffer: Young's modulus 110 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, so the same part in Brass C260 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C260 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C260 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Brass C260 | Plastic Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 6.47x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 5% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 1.98x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 34% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.33x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 3.08x 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 conducts heat better, Brass C260 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brass C260 expands less: 20 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.