PS vs. Phenolic
PS belongs to the thermoplastics classification, while phenolic belongs to the thermoset plastics. There are 20 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (6, in this case) are not shown.
For each property being compared, the top bar is PS and the bottom bar is phenolic.
Metric UnitsUS Customary Units
Mechanical Properties
| Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa | 1.9 to 2.9 | |
| 3.8 |
| Elongation at Break, % | 1.8 to 40 | |
| 2.0 |
| Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa | 32 to 44 | |
| 48 |
Thermal Properties
| Glass Transition Temperature, °C | 100 | |
| 170 |
| Maximum Temperature: Autoignition, °C | 360 to 420 | |
| 430 |
| Maximum Temperature: Decomposition, °C | 320 to 330 | |
| 260 |
| Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C | 70 | |
| 150 |
| Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K | 1250 to 1400 | |
| 1400 |
| Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K | 0.14 to 0.22 | |
| 0.25 |
| Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K | 80 to 98 | |
| 120 |
Electrical Properties
| Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm | 18 to 20 | |
| 46 |
| Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10x Ω-m | 14 to 15 | |
| 11 |
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
| Density, g/cm3 | 1.0 | |
| 1.3 |
| Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI), % | 18 | |
| 27 |
Common Calculations
| Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points | 1.0 to 1.5 | |
| 1.6 |
| Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points | 40 to 45 | |
| 40 |
| Strength to Weight: Axial, points | 8.5 to 12 | |
| 10 |
| Strength to Weight: Bending, points | 22 to 26 | |
| 23 |
| Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s | 0.11 to 0.15 | |
| 0.14 |
| Thermal Shock Resistance, points | 11 to 15 | |
| 7.5 |