Materials / Compare
Copper C110 vs. Plastic PLA
Compare Copper C110 vs. Plastic PLA 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 | 69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 221MPasourcetypical | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 96.8MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 7.8%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 117GPasourcetypical36.1x stiffer | 3.25GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 7.74kN·m/kg | 42.3kN·m/kg5.47x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 13.1MN·m/kg5.02x higher | 2.62MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 43.7GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 122GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 3,626m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 114mm²/s1,304x faster | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 8,992W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 1,065–1,083°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | 152°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 59.1°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, copper.org typical values | Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS dated April 20, 2022. |
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.
Plastic PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Copper C110 stronger than Plastic PLA?
Copper C110 is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (31%).
Which is lighter, Copper C110 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or Plastic PLA?
Copper C110 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Copper C110 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Copper C110 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); Plastic PLA 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 C110 | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 5.02x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 20% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.18x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 5.47x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 5.99x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 6.27x 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, Copper C110 or Plastic PLA?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.