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Iron vs. Plastic PTFE Compare Iron vs. Plastic PTFE 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 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 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 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 Iron Wrought 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 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 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 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 Plastic PTFE Bulk polymer (molded or machined) 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 186 MPa source typical (0.2% YS), hot rolled + SRA/recrystallization anneal 9 MPa source typical yield strength at 23 °C (Teflon PTFE, Table 8) Ultimate tensile strength 290 MPa source typical, SRA/recrystallization anneal 39.3 MPa source typical, skived tape 0.13 mm Elongation at break 38 % source typical, gauge 4D0 350 % source typical, skived tape 0.13 mm Young's modulus (stiffness) 207 GPa source typical, after SRA/recrystallization anneal not sourced Density 7,860 kg/m³ source typical 2,160 kg/m³ source typical (standard specific gravity, ASTM D4894) Strength to weight 23.7 kN·m/kg 5.68x higher 4.17 kN·m/kg Stiffness to weight 26.3 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio 0.282 source NIST critically evaluated best value (polycrystalline iron) 0.46 source typical, 23 °C (Teflon PTFE resins, Chemours handbook) Shear modulus 80.7 GPa not sourced Bulk modulus 158 GPa not sourced Speed of sound 5,132 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 73.2 W/m·K source typical at 20 °C 0.25 W/m·K source typical, granular resin, 4.6 mm specimen Thermal expansion 13.7 µm/m·K source mean, 20-399 °C 100 µm/m·K source typical, granular resin, 23-60 °C (ASTM E228) 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 68.5 µm growth 7.3x less 500 µm growth Specific heat 450 J/kg·K source typical 1,400 J/kg·K source typical, granular resin, 20 °C (ASTM D4591) Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 20.7 mm²/s 250x faster 0.0827 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance 3,447 W/m not sourced Melting point 1,532 °C source typical 327 °C source second melting peak (sintered polymer), +/-10 Max service temperature not sourced 260 °C source service temperature (Chemours general Teflon PTFE statement) Values for Cleveland-Cliffs / AK Steel ARMCO Pure Iron Product Data Bulletin (07/2022): Table 1 typical physical properties, Table 2 typical mechanical properties after SRA/recrystallization anneal. Chemours Teflon PTFE 7C X granular molding resin, typical values (tensile/elongation measured on 0.13 mm skived tape)
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 Iron stronger than Plastic PTFE? Iron is stronger: its yield strength is 186 MPa against 9 MPa for Plastic PTFE (20.7x).
Which is lighter, Iron or Plastic PTFE? Plastic PTFE is lighter: 2,160 kg/m³ against 7,860 kg/m³ for Iron.
Which is lighter for the same job, Iron or Plastic PTFE? For the same stiffness or strength: Iron is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be Iron Plastic PTFE Strong rod or tie lighter 5.68x heavier Strong beam lighter 2.07x heavier Strong panel or plate lighter 25% heavier
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, Iron or Plastic PTFE? Iron conducts heat better: 73.2 W/m·K against 0.25 W/m·K for Plastic PTFE.
Which expands less with temperature? Iron expands less: 13.7 µm/m·K against 100 µm/m·K for Plastic PTFE.
Among 59 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 Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass 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 Polypropylene 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 Iron 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 Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass 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 Polypropylene 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 Iron Plastic PTFE Strength against density