Materials / Compare
Plastic TPU vs. Plastic UHMWPE
Compare Plastic TPU vs. Plastic UHMWPE 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 | not given (tensile used) | 20MPasourcetypical, tensile stress at yield ISO 527, 50 mm/min |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break | 43MPasourcetypical, tensile stress at break ISO 527, 50 mm/min |
| Flexural strength | 4.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 465%sourcetypical, nominal elongation at break ISO 527 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 0.067GPasourcetypical | 0.66GPasourcetypical, tensile modulus ISO 527, 1 mm/min |
| Density | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical | 930kg/m³sourcetypical31% lighter |
| Strength to weight | 19.4kN·m/kg | 21.5kN·m/kg11% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 0.0549MN·m/kg | 0.71MN·m/kg12.9x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 234m/s | 842m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 0.4W/m·Ksourcetypical, unfilled (narrative value, generic Celanese UHMWPE) |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 200µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 to 100 °C (generic Celanese UHMWPE) |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 1,000µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | 217°Csourcetypical | 130–138°CsourceDSC 10 K/min |
| Max service temperature | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 80°Csourcerecommended max constant operating temperature |
| Values for | 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. | Celanese GUR 4120 (avg. molecular weight 4.7x10^6 g/mol), typical values on compression-molded specimens; CTE and thermal conductivity from Celanese's generic UHMWPE guide (grade not named) |
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 TPU stronger than Plastic UHMWPE?
Plastic TPU is stronger: its tensile strength is 23.7 MPa against yield strength 20 MPa for Plastic UHMWPE (19%).
Which is lighter, Plastic TPU or Plastic UHMWPE?
Plastic UHMWPE is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.
Which is stiffer, Plastic TPU or Plastic UHMWPE?
Plastic UHMWPE is stiffer: Young's modulus 0.66 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Plastic UHMWPE deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic TPU or Plastic UHMWPE?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic UHMWPE 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 TPU | Plastic UHMWPE |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 12.9x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 4.12x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.81x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 11% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 17% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 21% 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).