Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN)
SAN is a thermoplastic, further classified as a styrenic plastic. It has a moderately low ductility among the thermoplastics in the database.
The properties of SAN include two common variations. This page shows summary ranges across both of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare SAN to: styrenic plastics (top), all thermoplastics (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elongation at Break
2.5 %
Flexural Modulus
3.8 to 13 GPa 0.55 to 1.9 x 106 psi
Impact Strength: Notched Izod
23 to 60 J/m 0.44 to 1.1 ft-lb/in
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
74 to 130 MPa 11 to 19 x 103 psi
Other Material Properties
Density
1.1 to 1.4 g/cm3 67 to 87 lb/ft3
Specific Heat Capacity
1070 to 1380 J/kg-K 0.26 to 0.33 BTU/lb-°F
Common Calculations
Strength to Weight: Axial
19 to 25 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
36 to 40 points
Followup Questions
Further Reading
Reinforced Plastics Durability, Geoffrey Pritchard (editor), 1999
SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed., Michael L. Berins (editor), 2000
Modern Plastics Handbook, Charles A. Harper (editor), 1999
Plastics Materials, 7th ed., J. A. Brydson, 1999