Materials / Compare
Plastic PTFE vs. Steel AISI 1045
Compare Plastic PTFE vs. Steel AISI 1045 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 | 9MPasourcetypical yield strength at 23 °C (Teflon PTFE, Table 8) | 531MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 39.3MPasourcetypical, skived tape 0.13 mm | 627MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Elongation at break | 350%sourcetypical, skived tape 0.13 mm | 12%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | not sourced | 210GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 2,160kg/m³sourcetypical (standard specific gravity, ASTM D4894) | 7,800kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 4.17kN·m/kg | 68.1kN·m/kg16.3x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | not sourced | 26.9MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.46sourcetypical, 23 °C (Teflon PTFE resins, Chemours handbook) | 0.3sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 80.8GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 175GPa |
| Speed of sound | not sourced | 5,189m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.25W/m·Ksourcetypical, granular resin, 4.6 mm specimen | 40–45W/m·Ksourcetypical range, ambient |
| Thermal expansion | 100µm/m·Ksourcetypical, granular resin, 23-60 °C (ASTM E228) | 12µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 500µm growth | 60µm growth8.33x less |
| Specific heat | 1,400J/kg·Ksourcetypical, granular resin, 20 °C (ASTM D4591) | 460–480J/kg·Ksourcetypical range, 50/100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0827mm²/s | 11.6mm²/s140x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 6,269W/m |
| Melting point | 327°Csourcesecond melting peak (sintered polymer), +/-10 | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 260°Csourceservice 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) | AISI 1045 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle) for mechanical; Ovako C45 (lists 'SAE 1045' as a similar designation) for physical constants |
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 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stronger: its yield strength is 531 MPa against 9 MPa for Plastic PTFE (59x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PTFE or Steel AISI 1045?
Plastic PTFE is lighter: 2,160 kg/m³ against 7,800 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1045.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PTFE or Steel AISI 1045?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 1045 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic PTFE | Steel AISI 1045 |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | 16.3x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 4.2x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 2.13x 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 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 conducts heat better: 42.5 W/m·K against 0.25 W/m·K for Plastic PTFE.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel AISI 1045 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 100 µm/m·K for Plastic PTFE.