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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Sources5 documents: Copper Development Association, Covestro, Wieland, Bayer MaterialScience
Copper C10100
C10100 oxygen-free electronic (OFE) copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 0.04 in. flat products, copper.org typical values
Plastic Polycarbonate
Covestro Makrolon 2405 general-purpose PC (MVR 19), Covestro technical datasheet version 2026-09-28, typical values
1
C10100 Alloy (copper.org)Copper Development Associationarchived copyCopper C10100 · Yield strength: typical, 0.5% extension under load, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Elongation at break: typical, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalCopper C10100 · Density: nominalCopper C10100 · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °CCopper C10100 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CCopper C10100 · Specific heat: typical, 20 °CCopper C10100 · Melting point: melting point (liquidus = solidus, pure copper)
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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
Wieland-K09 (Cu-OFE, C10100) Data SheetWielandCopper C10100 · Poisson's ratio: reference value at room temperature (Wieland-K09 = Cu-OFE = C10100, rolled products)
4
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)
5
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 Copper C10100 stronger than Plastic Polycarbonate?
Copper C10100 is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 65 MPa for Plastic Polycarbonate (6%).
Which is lighter, Copper C10100 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 8,941 kg/m³ for Copper C10100.
Which is stiffer, Copper C10100 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Copper C10100 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, so the same part in Copper C10100 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C10100 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Copper C10100 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
Copper C10100
Plastic Polycarbonate
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
6.55x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
7% heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
2.04x heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
7.02x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
7.16x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
7.23x 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, Copper C10100 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate stretches further before it breaks: 125% elongation at break against 45% for Copper C10100.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Copper C10100 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Copper C10100 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Copper C10100 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.