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Glass vs. Plastic Polypropylene Compare Glass vs. Plastic Polypropylene strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 Glass Natural Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 Plastic Polypropylene Bulk polymer (molded or machined) Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength not given (tensile used) 33 MPa source typical, tensile stress at yield ISO 527 Ultimate tensile strength 41 MPa source typical mean surface tensile stress at fracture (MOR), 60 s load, weathered, 50% breakage probability not sourced Flexural strength 41 MPa source mean MOR (same value as tensile) not sourced Elongation at break not sourced not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 72 GPa source typical 1.45 GPa source typical, tensile modulus ISO 527 Density 2,500 kg/m³ source typical 900 kg/m³ source typical, 23 °C ISO 1183-1 Strength to weight 16.4 kN·m/kg 36.7 kN·m/kg 2.24x higher Stiffness to weight 28.8 MN·m/kg 17.9x higher 1.61 MN·m/kg Poisson's ratio 0.22 source typical 0.42 source base material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene) Shear modulus 29.5 GPa 57.8x stiffer in shear 0.511 GPa Bulk modulus 42.9 GPa 3.02 GPa Speed of sound 5,367 m/s 1,269 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.937 W/m·K source typical at 75 F 0.17–0.22 W/m·K source base material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene) Thermal expansion 8.3 µm/m·K source typical, 75-575 F 80–100 µm/m·K source base material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene) 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 41.5 µm growth 10.8x less 450 µm growth Specific heat 880 J/kg·K source typical at 75 F not sourced Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.426 mm²/s not sourced Thermal shock resistance 50.1 W/m 1.75x more resistant 28.6 W/m Max service temperature 511 °C source strain point (ASTM C336) - stress-relaxation onset, not a rated service limit 90 °C source HDT 0.45 MPa (ISO 75B), unannealed Values for Annealed soda-lime-silica float glass, Pilkington North America Technical Bulletin ATS-129 (04/2025) LyondellBasell Moplen HP501H polypropylene homopolymer (general purpose), typical ISO 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 Glass stronger than Plastic Polypropylene? Glass is stronger: its tensile strength is 41 MPa against yield strength 33 MPa for Plastic Polypropylene (24%).
Which is lighter, Glass or Plastic Polypropylene? Plastic Polypropylene is lighter: 900 kg/m³ against 2,500 kg/m³ for Glass.
Which is stiffer, Glass or Plastic Polypropylene? Glass is stiffer: Young's modulus 72 GPa against 1.45 GPa for Plastic Polypropylene, so the same part in Glass deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Glass or Plastic Polypropylene? For the same stiffness or strength: Glass is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; Plastic Polypropylene is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be Glass Plastic Polypropylene Stiff rod or tie (tension) lighter 17.9x heavier Stiff beam (bending) lighter 2.54x heavier Stiff panel or plate lighter 32% heavier Strong rod or tie 2.24x heavier lighter Strong beam 2.4x heavier lighter Strong panel or plate 2.49x 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, Glass or Plastic Polypropylene? Glass conducts heat better: 0.937 W/m·K against 0.195 W/m·K for Plastic Polypropylene.
Which expands less with temperature? Glass expands less: 8.3 µm/m·K against 90 µm/m·K for Plastic Polypropylene.
Among 72 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Glass Plastic Polypropylene Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Brick PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Glass Plastic Polypropylene Strength against density