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Plastic PTFE vs. Steel AISI 4340 Compare Plastic PTFE vs. Steel AISI 4340 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 Plastic PTFE Bulk polymer (molded or machined) 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 Steel AISI 4340 Wrought 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 9 MPa source typical yield strength at 23 °C (Teflon PTFE, Table 8) 1,035 MPa source typical, transverse Ultimate tensile strength 39.3 MPa source typical, skived tape 0.13 mm 1,140 MPa source typical, transverse Elongation at break 350 % source typical, skived tape 0.13 mm 18 % source typical, transverse Young's modulus (stiffness) not sourced 200 GPa source MIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) Density 2,160 kg/m³ source typical (standard specific gravity, ASTM D4894) 7,840 kg/m³ source typical Strength to weight 4.17 kN·m/kg 132 kN·m/kg 31.7x higher Stiffness to weight not sourced 25.5 MN·m/kg Poisson's ratio 0.46 source typical, 23 °C (Teflon PTFE resins, Chemours handbook) 0.32 source MIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) Shear modulus not sourced 75.7 GPa Bulk modulus not sourced 185 GPa Speed of sound not sourced 5,049 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.25 W/m·K source typical, granular resin, 4.6 mm specimen 37.5 W/m·K source typical Thermal expansion 100 µm/m·K source typical, granular resin, 23-60 °C (ASTM E228) 11.3 µm/m·K source mean, -18 to 93 °C 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 500 µm growth 56.5 µm growth 8.85x less Specific heat 1,400 J/kg·K source typical, granular resin, 20 °C (ASTM D4591) 448 J/kg·K source typical Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.0827 mm²/s 10.7 mm²/s 129x faster Thermal shock resistance not sourced 11,678 W/m Melting point 327 °C source second melting peak (sintered polymer), +/-10 not sourced Max service temperature 260 °C source service temperature (Chemours general Teflon PTFE statement) not sourced Values for Chemours Teflon PTFE 7C X granular molding resin, typical values (tensile/elongation measured on 0.13 mm skived tape) Carpenter (Latrobe) Lescalloy 4340 VAC-ARC datasheet; mechanical row for 1100 °F temper; physical properties grade-level
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 Plastic PTFE stronger than Steel AISI 4340? Steel AISI 4340 is stronger: its yield strength is 1,035 MPa against 9 MPa for Plastic PTFE (115x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PTFE or Steel AISI 4340? Plastic PTFE is lighter: 2,160 kg/m³ against 7,840 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 4340.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PTFE or Steel AISI 4340? For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 4340 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be Plastic PTFE Steel AISI 4340 Strong rod or tie 31.7x heavier lighter Strong beam 6.52x heavier lighter Strong panel or plate 2.95x 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, Plastic PTFE or Steel AISI 4340? Steel AISI 4340 conducts heat better: 37.5 W/m·K against 0.25 W/m·K for Plastic PTFE.
Which expands less with temperature? Steel AISI 4340 expands less: 11.3 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 Iron 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 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 Steel AISI 4340 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 Glass Steel AISI 1045 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 Plastic PTFE Steel AISI 4340 Strength against density