Materials Database
Every value carries its source, test method, and conditions. Select up to four materials to compare here, browse the head-to-head comparisons — or contribute a material.
Selection chart
The classic Ashby picture: stiffness against density. Up and to the left is light and stiff — notice where the fibers and laminae sit relative to the neat polymers.
Semi-crystalline commodity thermoplastic; low density, good chemical resistance, low Tg.
| Density | 0.905 g/cm³ |
| E | 1.4 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 34 MPa |
| Tg | -10 °C |
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Semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastic; strong and tough, moisture-sensitive properties.
| Density | 1.13 g/cm³ |
| E | 2.8 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 78 MPa |
| Tg | 50 °C |
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Amorphous engineering thermoplastic; outstanding impact toughness and optical clarity.
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ |
| E | 2.4 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 65 MPa |
| Tg | 147 °C |
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Semi-crystalline high-performance thermoplastic; excellent thermal and chemical resistance.
| Density | 1.3 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.6 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 100 MPa |
| Tg | 143 °C |
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Semi-crystalline commodity thermoplastic; tough, cheap, chemically inert — pipes, containers, cutting boards.
| Density | 0.95 g/cm³ |
| E | 1 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 27 MPa |
| Tg | -120 °C |
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Amorphous commodity thermoplastic; stiff, flame-resistant, economical — window frames, pipes, ducting.
| Density | 1.4 g/cm³ |
| E | 3 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 48 MPa |
| Tg | 82 °C |
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Amorphous commodity thermoplastic; stiff, optically clear, brittle — cutlery, CD cases, foam insulation (as EPS).
| Density | 1.05 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.2 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 46 MPa |
| Tg | 100 °C |
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Amorphous thermoplastic; the clearest common plastic — aircraft windows, aquariums, light guides.
| Density | 1.19 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.1 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 72 MPa |
| Tg | 105 °C |
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Amorphous terpolymer; balanced stiffness and impact toughness — LEGO bricks, appliance housings, FDM printing.
| Density | 1.05 g/cm³ |
| E | 2.3 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 44 MPa |
| Tg | 105 °C |
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Semi-crystalline polyester; drink bottles and textile fiber, crystallinity set by processing.
| Density | 1.37 g/cm³ |
| E | 2.9 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 60 MPa |
| Tg | 76 °C |
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Semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastic; higher melting than PA6, same moisture sensitivity — gears, cable ties, under-hood parts.
| Density | 1.14 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.2 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 83 MPa |
| Tg | 60 °C |
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Semi-crystalline fluoropolymer; lowest friction of any solid plastic, chemically inert, but soft and creep-prone.
| Density | 2.17 g/cm³ |
| E | 0.5 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 24 MPa |
| Tm | 327 °C |
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Amorphous high-performance thermoplastic; strength and flame resistance at elevated temperature — aircraft interiors, sterilizable medical parts.
| Density | 1.27 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.2 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 105 MPa |
| Tg | 217 °C |
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Standard structural thermoset matrix; good adhesion and dimensional stability. Properties vary with cure.
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.45 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 70 MPa |
| Tg | 120 °C |
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Economical thermoset matrix for glass-fiber boats, tanks, and panels; cures at room temperature with styrene.
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.2 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 55 MPa |
| Tg | 75 °C |
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Between polyester and epoxy in cost and performance; excellent corrosion resistance — chemical tanks, marine hulls.
| Density | 1.12 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.2 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 86 MPa |
| Tg | 120 °C |
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The original synthetic plastic (Bakelite); chars instead of burning — aircraft interiors, brake pads, ablatives.
| Density | 1.28 g/cm³ |
| E | 3.5 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 50 MPa |
| Tg | 175 °C |
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Standard reinforcement glass fiber; isotropic, economical, moderate stiffness.
| Density | 2.54 g/cm³ |
| E | 72.4 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 3450 MPa |
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Standard-modulus PAN carbon fiber; transversely isotropic (axial values listed).
| Density | 1.76 g/cm³ |
| E | 230 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 3530 MPa |
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High-stiffness aramid; excellent specific strength and damage tolerance, weak in compression.
| Density | 1.44 g/cm³ |
| E | 131 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 3620 MPa |
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High-strength glass fiber; ~40% stronger and stiffer than E-glass — ballistic panels, pressure vessels, aerospace.
| Density | 2.46 g/cm³ |
| E | 86.9 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 4890 MPa |
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Aerospace-workhorse standard-modulus PAN carbon fiber; the fiber in AS4/3501-6 and APC-2 laminae.
| Density | 1.79 g/cm³ |
| E | 231 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 4447 MPa |
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Intermediate-modulus PAN carbon fiber; higher stiffness and strength than AS4 — primary aircraft structure.
| Density | 1.78 g/cm³ |
| E | 276 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 5516 MPa |
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Fiber melt-spun from volcanic rock; between E-glass and S-glass in properties, good thermal resistance.
| Density | 2.67 g/cm³ |
| E | 89 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 2900 MPa |
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Plant bast fiber; best stiffness-to-weight of common natural fibers, renewable and vibration-damping — sporting goods, interior panels.
| Density | 1.5 g/cm³ |
| E | 58 GPa |
| Tensile strength | 800 MPa |
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Unidirectional lamina, Vf ≈ 0.55. Use with the laminate calculator.
| Density | 2.1 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 39 GPa |
| E₂ | 8.6 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 3.8 GPa |
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Classic aerospace unidirectional lamina, Vf ≈ 0.70. Reference material for CLT examples.
| Density | 1.6 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 181 GPa |
| E₂ | 10.3 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 7.17 GPa |
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Widely characterized aerospace unidirectional lamina, Vf ≈ 0.63. Reference dataset in Daniel & Ishai.
| Density | 1.6 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 142 GPa |
| E₂ | 10.3 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 7.2 GPa |
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Aramid unidirectional lamina, Vf ≈ 0.60. Note the very low compressive strengths — aramid's known weakness.
| Density | 1.38 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 80 GPa |
| E₂ | 5.5 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 2.2 GPa |
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Classic boron-fiber lamina, Vf ≈ 0.50; enormous compressive strength from the thick stiff fibers — repair patches, historic aircraft parts.
| Density | 2 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 204 GPa |
| E₂ | 18.5 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 5.59 GPa |
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Thermoplastic-matrix carbon lamina, Vf ≈ 0.61; tough, weldable, recyclable — the reference thermoplastic composite.
| Density | 1.57 g/cm³ |
| E₁ | 138 GPa |
| E₂ | 10.2 GPa |
| G₁₂ | 5.7 GPa |
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Where do these material properties come from?
Every value carries the source it came from — a handbook, a supplier datasheet or a paper — together with the test method and the conditions it was measured at. Nothing here is an unattributed number, because a property without its conditions is not data you can design with.
Can I use these numbers for design?
They are typical room-temperature figures, and they are right for learning, comparison and early sizing. They are not design allowables: real structure is sized from statistically derived values measured on your own material and process, and a supplier datasheet always overrides a textbook figure.
Why does the same plastic show different numbers elsewhere?
Because grade, fillers, moisture content, temperature, strain rate and test standard all move the result, often by a lot. Nylon that has absorbed water is measurably less stiff than dry nylon. That is exactly why every value here is published with its method and conditions attached.
What is the difference between stiffness and strength?
Stiffness is how much a material resists being deformed — the slope of the stress-strain line, measured as modulus. Strength is the stress at which it finally fails. A material can be very stiff and still weak, or strong and quite flexible; they are independent choices.