Thermoplastic comparison
Acrylic (PMMA) vs TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane)
Every value below is a typical room-temperature figure with its source, test method and conditions — the same dataset that drives the calculators.
| Property | Acrylic (PMMA) | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.19 g/cm³ | 1.2 g/cm³ | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) — 1% higher |
| Young's modulus E | 3.1 GPa | 0.03 GPa | Acrylic (PMMA) — 103.3× higher |
| Tensile strength | 72 MPa | 40 MPa | Acrylic (PMMA) — 80% higher |
| Glass transition Tg | 105 °C | -35 °C | Acrylic (PMMA) — 140 °C higher |
Where these numbers come from
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
- CAMPUS plastics database — typical grade datasheet values (campusplastics.com)
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary widely and a supplier datasheet always overrides a textbook figure. Confirm against the datasheet before design work.