Silicone Plastic vs. CAB

Silicone plastic belongs to the thermoset plastics classification, while CAB belongs to the thermoplastics. There are 11 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (17, in this case) are not shown.

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

Silicone Plastic Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		38
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		20 to 50

Thermal Properties

Glass Transition Temperature, °C		200
Glass Transition Temperature, °C		140

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		850
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1460

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.35
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.25

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		35
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		14

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		30
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		15

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		12
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		16

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		1.9
Density, g/cm³		1.2

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		5.5
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		4.8 to 12

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		13
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		14 to 25

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.22
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.14 to 0.15