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Drywall vs. Plastic PMMA

Compare Drywall vs. Plastic PMMA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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DrywallNatural
Plastic PMMABulk polymer (molded or machined)
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength1–2MPasourceambient range reported in review (Australian studies)80MPasourcetypical, 23 °C
Compressive strength2.4MPasourcetypical, 70 F / 50% RH110MPasourcecompressive yield stress, typical
Flexural strengthnot sourced115MPasourcetypical
Elongation at breaknot sourced5.5%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)1–2GPasourceambient range reported in review (Australian studies)3.3GPasourcetypical, short-term
Densitynot sourced1,190kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced67.2kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weightnot sourced2.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's rationot sourced0.37sourcetypical
Shear modulusnot sourced1.2GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced4.23GPa
Speed of soundnot sourced1,665m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivitynot sourced0.19W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion16.7µm/m·Ksourcetypical, unrestrained, 3.3-32 C70µm/m·Ksource0-50 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing83.5µm growth4.19x less350µm growth
Specific heat1,090J/kg·Ksourcetypical (from ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, per GA)1,470J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)not sourced0.109mm²/s
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced41.5W/m
Max service temperature52°Csourcemanufacturer sustained-exposure limit80°Csourcemax. permanent service temperature
Values for1/2 in. (12.7 mm) regular gypsum board (ASTM C1396), Gypsum Association GA-235-2019 typical/minimum properties; tensile and E from USDA FPL-co-authored review; service limit from USG Sheetrock 1/2 in. submittalRöhm PLEXIGLAS GS 0F00 cast acrylic sheet, typical values at 23 °C / 50 % RH (Röhm Technical Information Ref. No. 211-1)

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 Drywall stronger than Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA is stronger: its tensile strength is 80 MPa against 1.5 MPa for Drywall (53.3x).

Which is stiffer, Drywall or Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.3 GPa against 1.5 GPa for Drywall, so the same part in Plastic PMMA deflects less under the same load.

Which expands less with temperature?

Drywall expands less: 16.7 µm/m·K against 70 µm/m·K for Plastic PMMA.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropyleneFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPlastic PMMA
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropyleneFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPlastic PMMA
Strength against density

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