Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

PP and HD-PE both are sensitive to UV light. They are, however, both commonly used in outdoor applications such as garden chairs, trash cans and mailboxes. You can typically notice the difference in their colour after a few years use. Due to developed blockers and stabilizers, however, some manufacturers give their PP products long warranties (10 years and even more), for example, roofing ventilations that are exposed to direct sunshine year-round.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

HD-PE is known for its impact-resistance. It is used, for example, in lower-cost hard hats. If high stiffness is not required, you might also consider LD-PE. It is used in indoor trash cans.

PP is fairly impact resistant, especially if impact-modified.

In some cases HIPS might be an option.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

As you have chosen the commodity path, your expectations cannot be very high. PP is probably your best option, but its suitability to your application in temperature above 90°C must be thoroughly questioned. Anyway, the thermal resistance of PP is better than that of HD-PE or HIPS.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

HD-PE is a safe choice. It’s Tg is -110°C.

Use of PP homopolymer is a risk. It may turn brittle below -10°C. PP copolymer is a better choice.

HIPS is an option as well, although it is difficult to imagine a large box made of HIPS.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

If you need a glossy and shiny surface your choices are limited to PS and SAN.

If you afford to pay slightly more, ABS is fairly inexpensive.

The surface of PP with properly polished mold is good, although a little oily and sensitive to scratching.

The EPDM particles in HIPS always turn the surface slightly matt.

PP, filled with talc or natural fibers, might provide a nice, but not glossy surface.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

As the name High Impact Polystyrene indicates, the impact resistance of HIPS is high. Another good option is ABS: in some cases it is classified as a “commodity plastic” due to its relatively low cost.

SAN and PS as general purpose grades are a bad choice in terms of impact resistance.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

If you are looking for a commodity plastic, your expectations for UV resistance cannot be too high.

ASA would be an option, if you are ready to pay a little more. PS, HIPS and SAN are all sensitive to UV light.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

As you have chosen the commodity path, your expectations can not be very high. If the required continuous service temperature is above 70°C it is unlike that you’ll find an appropriate material within commodity plastics.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

PS and SAN are both used in freezer boxes. Many of us have witnessed in practice how these do not resist impacts very well.

Since you don’t need transparency, ABS (sometimes classified as commodity plastic) or HIPS would be a better option.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

PS is very brittle and HIPS cannot be used because it does not come in transparent form.

SAN is slightly more ductile but cannot be described as impact resistant.

Reasonably cost-efficient PMMA is fairly brittle as well, although the transparent protectors around an ice-hockey rink are made of thick PMMA plate. High wall-thickness helps, but increases material consumption and production cycle time.

If you can accept the limitations in transparency, PP-RC might be a good choice.

If you need improved impact resistance, you have to take a look at the materials on the next cost level. MABS or SBC might be considered.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

PMMA, ofthen classified as commodity plastic due to its relatively low cost, is known for its good UV resistance. It is used on boat windows.

PS and SAN can not be recommended for long UV light exposure. PP-RC is not a good choice either.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

As you have chosen the commodity path, your expectations cannot be very high.

The thermal resistance of PS, SAN, PMMA and A-PET is low.

Semi-crystalline PP-RC is a better choice, although its thermal resistance is not very high either, if compared to engineering plastics such as PA or PBT.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

PS and SAN are both used in freezer boxes. Many of us have witnessed in practice how these do not resist impacts very well.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

Improved impact resistance is one of the main reasons components are made of soft materials or covered by them. Impacts may, however, crush or rip the component.

A properly working shock-absorber requires a good combination of thickness and hardness.

TPE-O is used in car bumpers.

LD-PE is used in traffic cones and rubbish bins.

EVA is used in shoe midsoles.

Soft PVC is used in beach sandals

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

The lower cost TPE grades TPE-S, TPE-O and TPE-V are all fairly resistant to UV light – UV-modified TPE-S in particular.

It is essential not to confuse the two members of the TPE-S family, SEBS and SBS. UV resistance of SBS is poor.

LD-PE can not be recommended either. EVA is probably a better choice.

Soft PVC is used on boats. When modified its resistance against UV light is good.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

As you have chosen the commodity path, your expectations cannot be very high. When it comes to thermal resistance, TPE-S is not the strongest choice among the TPE family. Very high thermal resistance cannot be expected of it.

You might need to take one step up to TPE-V.

LD-PE and EVA do not perform well in a temperature above 60°C. Soft PVC is not a good option either.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

Soft PVC is a common choice in the construction industry because of its self-extinguishing behaviour. If the ignition source is withdrawn it will stop burning.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Low service temperature is not a big issue when selecting a lower cost rubbery material. They all endure cold conditions rather well.

TPE-S contains oil, and in the case of some less advanced grades, the oil might migrate to the surface of the product in long-term cold conditions.

The Tg of LD-PE is around -120°C.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

When extreme flexibility is needed, your choices are limited.

At its softest TPE-S is like a flexible gel. For normal applications, its flexibility is usually adequate.

TPE-V is available relatively soft as well, from Shore-A 40 and above.

The hardness of EVA and LD-PE is typically measured on the Shore D scale.

In this article, you can read more about the subject.

The surface of many semi-crystalline plastics like PP, PA66 or POM is slippery, even oily, to touch. POM is the most common choice for low friction applications. Different PA grades are typical as well.

In demanding applications, polymers can be filled with oil or PTFE to achieve low friction.

Two important factors in your application are surface pressure (P) and sliding velocity (V). If P*V is very high, the surfaces will inevitably heat up. You have to make sure the chosen material can withstand this. Semi-crystalline high-performance materials like PEEK or PPA may be an option.

In case you are planning to use amorphous plastic, it is highly recommended to study its friction properties beforehand.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

All the engineering plastics, semi-crystalline and amorphous, witness some level of plastic behaviour. This indicates that they are not brittle.

If the mechanical challenges are limited to impacts (no chemicals, continuous load or wear) amorphous options like PC, PC/ABS (and other PC alloys) or ABS might be a good choice.

Semi-crystalline options PP, PA6/66, PA12, POM and PBT are all reasonably ductile. Their other qualities probably have bigger influence in the final material selection.

An impact-modified grade is available for most materials.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

When visual high-quality is needed, designers often prefer amorphous plastics. If the mechanical challenges are limited to impacts and short term-stresses, common housing plastics, such as ABS, ABS/PC or PC, fulfill the purpose. However, if resistance against fatigue, stress-cracking or wear are needed, you are likely to find a more suitable plastic within the semi-crystalline offering.

When properly designed, the following materials can deliver pleasing visual quality together with mechanical performance and chemical resistance (in preference order).

• PBT
• PA6
• PA12
• PA66
• PC/PBT alloy
• PP

Compared to amorphous materials, semi-crystalline plastics have a higher and uneven shrinkage, which results in more pronounced warpage and sink-marks. It is therefore important to follow the basic principles of plastic product design: uniform wall thickness, sufficient radius, and rib thickness guidelines. From a tooling perspective, a well-defined parting line, proper cooling, and a properly positioned injection system are vital.

Fatigue is a phenomenon that plastic designers should always take into account. The effects of fatigue do not show in the short term use. A component might withstand 100 cycles with no visible effect but suddenly fail after 15 000 cycles.

POM is known as a “spring plastic”. It endures fatigue well.

All the polyamides are also highly fatigue resistant.

PEEK is a high-performance material but has excellent fatigue resistance at room temperature as well.

To avoid fatigue, a component should be designed so that the repeating stress is significantly smaller than the tensile strength of the material, approximately 10-20%.

Stress-cracking is the most common reason for plastic components to fail their purpose.

Semi-crystalline materials endure continuous stress far better than amorphous materials. POM, PA, PBT, and PP are good options if long term stress is expected.

To avoid stress cracking, the product should be designed to endure significantly higher stress than short term experiments indicate. Semi-crystalline materials endure continuous stress better than amorphous materials.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

PA6 or PA12 are better choices than PA66. PBT is another good option. The UV resistance of POM is poor.

On the amorphous side ASA is the preferred choice. Oddly PC/ABS is more resistant to UV than PC or ABS.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

PA66 is probably the best choice.

It is good to note that the heat resistance of POM is not very high.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

The Tg of POM is app. -75°C so it should retain its ductility well in cold conditions.

In subzero temperature PA and PBT are clearly below their Tg but are typically still fairly ductile, especially if compounded for this purpose.

With PP you have to be careful. PP homopolymer has Tg of -10°C and PP copolymer -20°C. Below this they might turn brittle.

In cases, with no risk of high continuous loading or chemicals, amorphous ABS, PC or PC/ABS (or other PC alloys) might be an option.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Amorphous high-performance materials, such as polysulfones PSU, PPSU, and PES, are typically used when good dimensional accuracy and high strength are needed under exposure to hot water and steam. They do not, however, are not a good choice for moving components of a mechanism.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

When it comes to impact resistance, PPA and PEEK are at least on the same level as more common engineering plastics PA6, POM or PBT.

An impact-modified grade is available for most materials.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Two important factors in your application are surface pressure (P) and sliding velocity (V). If P*V is very high, the surfaces will inevitably heat up. You might need a high-performance plastic like PEEK or PPA to withstand the temperature. PEEK especially is known for its good bearing properties.

In demanding applications, polymers can be filled with oil or PTFE to achieve low friction.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

Fluoroplastics, such as FEP, PFA, ETFE, and PVDF have many advantages. Excellent UV resistance is one of these. From the same perspective, PPS is typically classified as “good” and PEEK, PPA and PEI as “fair”.There are exceptions and this varies depending on the grade.

Amorphous high-performance plastics do not endure UV-light well.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

A commonly used definition for high performance plastics is that they have a permanent operating temperature of more than 150°C. They are resistant but not immune to high temperatures. The effect in their mechanical performance cannot be overlooked.

Semi-crystalline PPA and PEEK are favoured in machine design applications that require substantially high resistance against heat.

Amorphous polysulfones, such as PSU, PPSU and PES are chosen primarily in cases where the component is subjected to hot water and steam.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Typically, high-performance plastics are used due to their ability to withstand high temperatures. In cold temperature they should behave like all other plastics – sufficient ductility in cold must be confirmed by testing.

The Tg of semi-crystalline high-performance plastics is high, crossing it in subzero temperature should not be a concern.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Very commonly used glass content with engineering plastics is 30%. Compared to unfilled plastics the product becomes considerably stiffer and stronger yet is still relatively easy to process.

Please see below the mechanical properties of PBT with different glass contents. The values are extracts from material datasheets and should be considered as theoretical. In practice, service conditions, fiber orientation, and weld lines may reduce them considerably.

PBT+0%GF

• Yield stress 60 MPa
• Tensile modulus 2,7 GPA
• Strain at yield 8%

PBT+20%GF

• Stress at break 120MPa
• Tensile modulus 7,5 GPa
• Strain at break 2,7 %

PBT+40%GF

• Stress at break 145 MPa
• Tensile modulus 12 GPa
• Strain at break 2,3%

An increase of 10% in the fiber content, can improve strength and modulus by 20-35%. It is good to bear in mind, that the same can easily be achieved by modifying the geometry of the component. When the height of a bent element is increased slightly (for example from 10 mm to 11 mm) its stiffness may be improved correspondingly.

It is not rare to use 40% or even 50% glass content in demanding applications. Engineering plastics with up to 60% glass content are available, but not commonly used due to processing difficulties.

If cost is not an issue, carbon fibers lead to higher strength and modulus. In comparison:

PBT+40%CF (CELSTRAN PBT-CF40-09)

• Stress at break 175MPa
• Tensile modulus 14,5 GPA

There is also an increasing number of LGF (long glass fiber) materials available (mostly PA and PP). Compared to short fibers, long fibers increase material strength but their main advantage is improved impact resistance. The effect on modulus is minimal.

The highest modulus value found in the Campusplastics.com database is provided by Celstran PPS-CF50-02 AF3002 Natural, PPS with 50% long carbon fiber content. Its tensile modulus is above 40 GPa and Stress at break 155 MPa.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually.

The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

Reinforced plastic components are typically black, which is good in terms of UV light. Reinforcing blocks some of the UV light.

PA6+GF is a safer choice than PA66+GF.

PBT+GF is another prefered option.

PP+GF or POM+GF are not good choices.

Reinforced amorphous plastics such as PC+GF or ABS+GF cannot be recommended either.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

Reinforcements, glass or carbon fibre are not as sensitive to heat as the base material. Therefore, reinforcements increase the heat resistance of all plastics.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

If you place Plasticprop samples made of PA6+30GF and PBT+30GF in an oven and heat them to 130°C, you can clearly notice that they both get remarkably softer, but it is difficult to tell the difference. PA is, however, a more common choice in high heat application, such as car engines. PA66 endures heat better than PA6.

If you do the same study with a PP+30GF sample, you will notice that the material is very close to its service temperature limit.

If the long-term service temperature will exceed 120°C, I recommend you take one step back and follow the high-performance path.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

PA+GF and PBT+GF both behave reasonably well in sub-zero temperatures.

If you consider using PP+GF, please note its Tg, app, -20C°. Crossing this may cause a significant change in material behaviour.

Long glass fibre (LGF) increases impact resistance significantly especially in cold conditions.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

Reinforcing plastic increases its strength and modulus. Due to the increase in modulus; however, the material toughness is decreased which might lead to lower impact resistance. In some cases, on the other hand, fibres prevent cracks from propagating. To improve impact resistance, you need high glass content. Adding a mere 15% glass, for example, probably only makes the product more sensitive to impacts.

Polyamide (PA+GF) is a common choice when both strength and stiffness are needed in combination with good impact resistance. For example, the injection-moulded shaft of an axe is commonly made of PA6 +30-40% GF.

Other reinforced semi-crystalline engineering materials (PBT+GF, POM+GF) are also reasonably impact-resistant. PP+GF is an option for cost-sensitive applications.

Unfilled PC is very impact-resistant. It is usually filled to increase strength and stiffness. Reinforcing may decrease its notch-sensitivity and therefore also makes it more impact resistant in some cases.

Carbon fibre is more expensive than glass fibre and makes the product stronger and stiffer, but more fragile.

Long-fibre (LF) materials increase impact resistance significantly. They also help in retaining impact resistance in low temperatures. Long fibre are used mainly with PP and PA.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance. This is particularly the case with PP+GF.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

Reinforcing plastic increases its strength and modulus. Due to the increase in modulus; however, the material toughness is decreased which might lead to lower impact resistance. In some cases, on the other hand, fibres prevent cracks from propagating. To improve impact resistance, you need high glass content. Adding a mere 15% glass, for example, probably only makes the product more sensitive to impacts.

When it comes to impact resistance, pPA+GF, PPA+GF and PEEK+GF are at least as good as the more common engineering plastics PA+GF or PBT+GF. However, it is good to consider that PPS+GF is very brittle.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually.

The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

Reinforced plastic components are typically black, which is good in terms of UV light. Reinforcing blocks some of the UV light.

When it comes to UV resistance, PPS and PEEK are typically classified as “good” and PPA and PEI as “fair”. Amorphous high-performance plastics do not endure UV light well.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

A commonly used definition for high performance plastics is that they have a permanent operating temperature of more than 150°C. They are resistant but not immune to high temperatures. The effect in their mechanical performance cannot be overlooked.

Reinforcements of glass or carbon fibre are not as sensitive to heat as the base material. Therefore reinforcements increase the heat resistance of all plastics.

Semi-crystalline PPA+GF, PEEK+GF are typical choices for machine design applications. PPS+GF is probably chosen more often for its chemical resistance than its thermal resistance.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Typically, high-performance plastics are used due to their ability to withstand high temperatures. In cold temperature they should behave like all other plastics – sufficient ductility in cold must be confirmed by testing.

The Tg of high-performance plastics is high, crossing it in subzero temperature should not be a concern.

Long glass fibre (LGF) increases impact resistance significantly, especially in cold conditions.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop, or be mishandled during transportation.

Visual appearance is not difficult to combine with good impact resistance. From this perspective PC is especially strong, but ABS, PC/ABS (and other PC alloys) and PPO are good as well. In some cases HI-PS might be an option. You can find it by choosing the commodity path.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

When visual qualities are emphasized in the material selection process, the product is not likely to be used in very hot conditions. In some cases, however, visual housings are used with kitchen appliances or electrical devices that generate heat.

If temperatures higher than 70°C are likely, ABS is not the best choice.

PC and PPO tolerate high temperatures much better, even up to 125°C. PC-HT goes even higher.

PC/ABS is a better choice that ABS.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

If your product is well designed and properly molded with a proper tool, its visual quality should not differ much whether it is made of ABS, PC or ABS/PC. They all should come out straight and glossy.

ABS is the easiest to mold. Its tendency to warp is low. Burrs are minimal. Surface gloss is excellent and has a “drier” feel than that of PC .

PC requires a higher molding temperature and is a little more challenging to produce. For a professional manufacturer, this should not be an issue.

PS can be used for making a visually appealing product as well. The rattling echo of the components, however, does not increase the perceived quality.

Perhaps the main difference between the three comes with scratch resistance; in the long term use, ABS is better than PC .

Surfaces can be textured, glossy or satin-like matte. Small and appealing details can be etched or lasered on the mold cavity.

The surface finish of the backside of the component is often forgotten. Remember to specify it when going through the details of the tooling.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually.

The strength and ductility of the material is decreased.

Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow.

Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

When designing a visually demanding product you have to consider the UV light effect on the colour of the product, including in indoor use. Both the sunlight that penetrates the window and many indoor lights emit UV rays. It is common to see light-switches, printer lids or smoke alarms that have turned from pure white to nicotine yellow.

ASA is commonly known to resist UV light better than ABS, and it is used in car wing mirror housings without any special coating to protect it from UV light. There is, however, typically a black rim around such components. This way it is difficult to notice the slight change in colour compared to the painted parts.

Interestingly, PC/ABS has a slightly better UV resistance than PC or ABS, but it cannot be recommended for products that are placed outdoors for longer periods of time. The UV resistance of PPO is not good either. Practically all amorphous materials can be painted with UV-protective paint or lacquer.

Always opt for grades (material and colourant) that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers. “General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those. Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Low service temperature is one of the advantages of ABS.

PC/ABS blend is a better choice that PC.

It is worth considering that the product might spend a night in a car in subzero temperatures and be used immediately after that.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Amorphous materials are avoided in medical applications because they are constantly handled with strong cleaning substances. Oily hands might also cause deterioration if the contact is repeating.

Chemicals and continuous load are an especially bad combination for amorphous plastics.

“Excellent chemical resistance” is often listed as an advantage for ABS. This is true when compared to PC, PPO or PS which are chemically very sensitive. However, acetone, for example, is fatal for ABS.

If your product is likely to be subjected to chemicals it is best to research and test it thoroughly. To be sure, see what the Technical path has to offer.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop, or be mishandled during transportation.
An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

The most impact-resistant transparent material by far is PC.

Other transparent materials with good or fair impact resistance include PP-RC, MABS, SBC, copolyester, and amorphous PA12. PMMA is fairly brittle, although the transparent protectors around an ice-hockey rink are made of thick PMMA plate.

Impact-modified grades are usually available for every plastic material. It is good to check if this will affect their transparency.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

Stress-at-break values for common transparent plastics in room-temperature are between 40-70 MPa (PP-random-copo ~20-30 MPa ). From a durability point of view, however, impact strength is usually a more relevant factor than tensile strength.

Transparent commodity plastics like PS, PMMA, and SAN have a tensile modulus of above 3 GPa at room temperature. MABS, PC, SBC and copolyester are closer to (below or above) 2 GPa. The difference can be heard if you knock the product with a teaspoon; the higher the sound, the higher the modulus.

Higher modulus usually leads to lower toughness and therefore lower impact resistance.

Please remember that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials. Ýou should not look at the value in room-temperature but at maximum service temperature.

PMMA is used in boat windows due to its good scratch resistance.

Despite its good ductility, PC is prone to scratching. Motorcycle visors are coated with scratch-resistant lacquer.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

High-performance materials offer the best thermal resistance (above 150°). If this is what you need, please go back and select the high-performance path.

Thermal resistance is one of the advantages of PC. Its service temperature area goes up to 125°C. PC-HT goes even higher.

Amorphous PA12 can withstand 80-100°C in long-term use, which is fairly high for a transparent material.

With SBC and  MABS  it is safer to stay below 70°C in long term use. The same goes for PMMA . A more heat resistant alternative to PMMA is PMMI.

Copolyester has fairly good hear resistance, depending on the grade.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.

It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Amorphous plastics are used only below their Tg.

PP-RC is the only transparent plastic that can be used on both sides of its Tg, which is app.-20°C. Below this it is likely to turn brittle.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

In general, amorphous plastics have significantly lower chemical resistance than semi-crystalline ones.

PP-RC is the only semi-crystalline transparent material available and therefore a common choice for applications used in a chemically demanding environment.

Other transparent plastics that are commonly chosen due to their fair (instead of poor) chemical resistance are MABS and amorphous PA12.

PMMA is used in agricultural lighting applications over PC due to its ability to withstand ammonium.

Transparent materials with especially poor chemical resistance include PC, PS, and SBC.

Temperature, duration of the exposure and mechanical load are important factors. The lower they are the better.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased. Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow. Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

Boat windows are typically made of PMMA due to its good UV resistance (as well as scratch-resistance). Transparent materials with poor UV-resistance include PS, PC, MABS and copolyester. Car lighting components are commonly made of PC, a material with relatively poor UV resistance, which is why they are dipped in lacquer.

Always opt for grades that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers.

“General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems. Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those.

Read more about UV resistance here.

PC is prone to hydrolysis. It might degrade in long term contact with hot water.

If the component is constantly exposed to hot water/steam, high-performance materials like PSU and PPSU should be considered. You can find them in the high-performance path.

What property would you like to hear about next? Please comment in the bottom of this page.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation. An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

PPSU has the best impact-resistance among the polysulfones. If elevated temperature and impacts are the only concerns, you might consider HT-PC.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.

Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

A commonly used definition for high performance plastics is that they have a permanent operating temperature of more than 150°C. They are resistant, but not immune to high temperatures. The effect in their mechanical performance can not be overlooked.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.
It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

Typically high-performance plastics are used for their ability to withstand high temperatures. In cold temperature they should behave like all other plastics – sufficient ductility in cold must be confirmed by testing.

Crossing Tg is not a concern when you are dealing with amorphous plastics.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased. Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow. Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

Even though some injection-mouldabe plastics from the fluoroplastic family, such as FPA or FEP, are transparent, I can’t think of an application where this property would be a reason for using them. Polysulfones have many advantages, but good UV resistance is not one of them.

Always opt for grades that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers.

Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those.

Read more about UV resistance here.

TPE-A, TPE-S and TPE-U are available as transparent.

The EPDM content of TPE-V and TPE-O prevents this.

Long term exposure to direct sunlight affects plastic materials both mechanically and visually. The strength and ductility of the material is decreased. Visually UV-light leads to crazing and changes in the colour of the product. It may, for an example, turn from white to yellow. Fluoroplastics are the only material group than can be considered intact to UV light. With all other plastics, UV light is an issue.

TPE-S (SEBS), when stabilized, is known for its good UV resistance. It is important not to confuse SEBS and SBS. The UV resistance of SBS is poor. Aliphatic TPE-U grades offer good colour stability.

Always opt for grades that are specially modified with UV stabilizers and blockers.

“General purpose grades” of any material are more likely to lead to problems. Try to find reference cases of materials that have survived well under corresponding conditions and opt for those.

Dark colours are better than light ones because they prevent UV rays from penetrating deeper into the material.

Important: The use of UV stabilized material is not enough – the colourants must be UV-stabilized as well.

Read more about UV resistance here.

When selecting a soft material, hardness and strain-at-rupture are probably more relevant than the modulus or the strength of the material.

Tensile strength increases hand in hand with hardness. TPE-A, TPE-E, and TPE-U are stronger than other options.

Please note the difference between yield strength and tensile strength. If a component is stretched beyond its yield strength it will not return to its original shape.

When extreme flexibility is needed, your choices are limited.

At its softest TPE-S is like a flexible gel. For normal applications, its flexibility is usually adequate.

TPE-V is available relatively soft as well, from app. Shore-A 40 and above.

TPE-U and TPE-O are a little harder, typically above Shore A 45.

TPE-E and TPE-A at their softest represent roughly Shore-A 80.

Some material suppliers may offer products below these values.

In this article, you can read more about the subject.

Impact resistance of the product is always good to keep in mind. Even if your product is not subjected to impacts in its intended use, it might fall, drop or be mishandled during transportation.

Improved impact resistance is one of the main reasons components are made of soft materials or covered by them. Impacts may, however, crush or rip the component. A properly working shock-absorber requires a good combination of thickness and hardness.

An impact-modified grade is usually available for every plastic material.

TPE-U is known for its good impact resistance.

TPE-O is used in car bumpers.

Avoid sharp inner corners whenever you can. This cannot be stressed too much.
Wall thickness has an effect on the impact resistance of a component.
When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer. However, they also lose some of their toughness and turn more brittle. This will affect their impact resistance.

Read more about how to design impact-resistant plastic products.

It is important to bear in mind that elevated temperature has a significant effect on the strength and modulus of plastic materials.

Please note that at the upper end of the service temperature range, the material properties differ significantly from properties at room temperature.

The rubbery material with the best thermal resistance is silicone, with a service temperature of over 200°C.

TPE materials used in injection moulding have lower service temperatures.

TPE-S cannot usually be used in conditions above 100°C.

TPE-O is slightly more tolerant.

TPE-V, TPE-U, and TPE-E can be used in up to 120° C.

TPE-A has the best thermal resistance of all TPEs, over 130°C.

The service temperature of each material may vary considerably depending on their grade and hardness.

You need to establish the maximum temperature your product is going to be stressed in, choose a material suitable for that range and design the product while bearing in mind how the temperature affects its mechanical properties.

In addition to short term service temperatures, you must consider that if the product is constantly subjected to high temperature in the long term, creeping will speed up, and stress corrosion and, in some cases, thermal degradation will appear.

Static loading and high temperature are an exceptionally challenging combination for plastics, especially amorphous grades.
It is easy and informative to compare the behaviour of different plastic materials by heating them in an oven. Plasticprop samples suit this purpose well.

Read more about the effect of elevated temperature here.

When operating in a cold environment, plastic components tend to become harder, stronger and stiffer.

However, they also lose some of their toughness, turn more brittle which affect their impact resistance.

This is especially likely to happen when operating below the material-specific glass transition temperature, Tg.

If your product is likely to be used in cold conditions, and especially if it is subjected to impacts, make sure its toughness is sufficient in the expected service temperature.

TPE materials are not especially prone to low temperatures. Their service temperature area starts at roughly -50°C, which does not mean that their properties remain unchanged at that level. Their behaviour in cold conditions is easy to test in practice using reference samples made of each material.

TPE-E and TPE-A are used in skiing boots and snowboard bindings.

TPE-S contains oil, and in the case of some less advanced grades, the oil might migrate to the surface of the product in long-term cold conditions.

Discuss the matter with your material supplier. A product that is especially tailored for cold environments is probably available.

If you have any doubts, it is essential to test in practice. Explore reference products to confirm.

Each TPE type has its strengths and weaknesses when in contact with organic solvents, acids, greases, bases, or other substances.

TPE-V is often selected over TPE-S due to its better resistance against oil.

Sometimes, in chemically harsh conditions, silicone is the best option.

Temperature, duration of the exposure and mechanical load are important factors in chemical resistance. The lower they are, the better.

It is always good to test the chemical compatibility in practice by subjecting a sample of the material to the relevant chemicals. The test can be catalyzed by subjecting the sample to different stress conditions and/or by elevating the temperature.

What property would you like to hear about next? Please comment at the bottom of this page.