Materials / Compare
Plastic Polycarbonate vs. Plastic TPU
Compare Plastic Polycarbonate vs. Plastic TPU 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 | 65MPasourcetypical, tensile yield | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 65MPasourcetypical, stress at break2.74x stronger | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | 97MPasourcetypical, flexural strength | 4.1MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 125%sourcetypical, strain at break | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.4GPasourcetypical35.8x stiffer | 0.067GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,200kg/m³sourcetypical | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 54.2kN·m/kg2.79x higher | 19.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2MN·m/kg36.4x higher | 0.0549MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.38sourcetypical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 0.87GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.33GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,414m/s | 234m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.2W/m·Ksourcetypical, through-plane, 23 C | not sourced |
| Thermal expansion | 65µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 23-55 C, parallel and normal | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 325µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,172J/kg·Ksourcetypical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766 | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.142mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 51.7W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | not sourced | 217°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 144°Csourcetypical, DSC 10 C/min | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 125°CsourceUL 746B RTI, tensile strength, 1.5 mm | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | Covestro Makrolon 2405 general-purpose PC (MVR 19), Covestro technical datasheet version 2026-09-28, typical values | Ultimaker TPU 95A, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS (file v5.00), April 29, 2022. |
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.
Plastic TPU is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Polycarbonate stronger than Plastic TPU?
Plastic Polycarbonate is stronger: its yield strength is 65 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (2.74x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Polycarbonate or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Polycarbonate or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Polycarbonate is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.4 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Plastic Polycarbonate deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Polycarbonate or Plastic TPU?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic Polycarbonate | Plastic TPU |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 36.4x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 6.08x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 3.35x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 2.79x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.99x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 1.68x 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).