Phenolic vs. CAB

Phenolic belongs to the thermoset plastics classification, while CAB belongs to the thermoplastics. There are 14 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (16, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is phenolic and the bottom bar is CAB.

Phenol Formaldehyde (PF, Phenolic)Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elongation at Break, %		2.0
Elongation at Break, %		50 to 55

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		48
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		20 to 50

Thermal Properties

Glass Transition Temperature, °C		170
Glass Transition Temperature, °C		140

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1400
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1460

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.25
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.25

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		120
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		14

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		7.5
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		3.6

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		46
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		15

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		11
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		16

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		1.3
Density, g/cm³		1.2

Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI), %		27
Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI), %		18

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		10
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		4.8 to 12

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		23
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		14 to 25

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.14
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.14 to 0.15