Materials / Compare
Copper C110 vs. Plastic Polycarbonate
Compare Copper C110 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 | 69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 65MPasourcetypical, tensile yield |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 221MPasourcetypical | 65MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 97MPasourcetypical, flexural strength |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 125%sourcetypical, strain at break |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 117GPasourcetypical48.8x stiffer | 2.4GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,200kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 7.74kN·m/kg | 54.2kN·m/kg7x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 13.1MN·m/kg6.57x higher | 2MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) | 0.38sourcetypical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | 43.7GPa50.3x stiffer in shear | 0.87GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 122GPa | 3.33GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,626m/s | 1,414m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.2W/m·Ksourcetypical, through-plane, 23 C |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 65µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 23-55 C, parallel and normal |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth3.85x less | 325µm growth |
| Specific heat | 385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 1,172J/kg·Ksourcetypical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766 |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 114mm²/s801x faster | 0.142mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 8,992W/m174x more resistant | 51.7W/m |
| Melting point | 1,065–1,083°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 | C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, copper.org typical values | 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 Copper C110 stronger than Plastic Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 65 MPa for Plastic Polycarbonate (6%).
Which is lighter, Copper C110 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, so the same part in Copper C110 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or Plastic Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Copper C110 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 C110 | Plastic Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 6.57x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 6% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.03x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 7x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 7.14x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 7.21x 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 Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Copper C110 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.