Thermoplastic comparison
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) vs UHMW-PE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene)
Every value below is a typical room-temperature figure with its source, test method and conditions — the same dataset that drives the calculators.
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) in fullUHMW-PE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) in full← All materials
| Property | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) | UHMW-PE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ | 0.94 g/cm³ | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) — 28% higher |
| Young's modulus E | 0.03 GPa | 0.8 GPa | UHMW-PE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) — 26.7× higher |
| Tensile strength | 40 MPa | 49 MPa | UHMW-PE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) — 23% higher |
| Glass transition Tg | -35 °C | -120 °C | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) — 85 °C higher |
Where these numbers come from
- CAMPUS plastics database — typical grade datasheet values (campusplastics.com)
- MakeItFrom.com materials database — typical grade values
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
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.