Material Selection
To give you some help with plastics for your application, this plastic material selection guide lists most common material types available and an overview of each one's basic properties when in natural colour unfilled grade. Also listed is some advice on typical trade names, costs and uses for mouldings made from each material type
| Material Types, Trade Names & Abbreviations |
Density g/cm³ |
Description, Details & Typical Applications | |
| Acetyl Delrin/Hostaform/Lucel |
POM | 1.42 | Natural - opaque white, very tough, low/med. cost Gears and bearing; taps and aerosol valves. |
| Acrylic Diakon/Oroglas/Plexiglas |
PMMA | 1.18 | Transparent and brittle, low/medium cost. Lenses; car light housings and reflectors. |
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Cycolac/Magnum/Novodur/Terluran |
ABS | 1.06 | Natural opaque and tough, low/medium cost.
Telephone handsets and vacuum cleaner housings. |
| Cellulose Acetate Dexel/Cellidor/Setilithe |
CA | 1.20 | Transparent, tough, from flexible to rigid, high cost. Spectacles frames and screwdriver handles. |
| Polyamide 6 (Nylon) Akulon/Ultramid/Grilon |
PA6 | 1.14 | Almost opaque/white, very tough, medium/high cost. Bushes, bearings, curtain runners & combs. |
| Polyamide 6.6 (Nylon) Kopa/Zytel/Radilon |
PA6.6 | 1.14 | Almost opaque/white, rigid & tough, medium/high cost. Levers, housings, handles etc. |
| Polyamide 11+12 (Nylon) Rilsan/Grilamid |
PA11+12 | 1.18 | Opaque to clear, rigid & tough, very high cost. Air filters, safety masks, spectacle frames etc. |
| Polyester - Thermoplastic Celanex/Crastin & Lupox/Rynite |
PBT PET |
1.42 1.34 |
Rigid & stable, medium/high cost. Electrical sockets, housings and parts. |
| Polycarbonate Calibre/Lexan/Makrolon |
PC | 1.20 | Transparent; very tough and resilient, high cost. Street lamp covers and safety helmets. |
| Polyethylene - Low Density Alkathene/Escorene/Novex |
LDPE | 0.92 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & flexible, low cost. Kitchenware and many sealing lids & closures. |
| Polyethylene - High Density Eraclene/Hostalen/Stamylan |
HDPE | 0.96 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & stiff, low cost. Chair seats and milk crates. |
| Polyether Sulphone Victrex/Udel |
PES | 1.37 | Clear, tough, v.high chemical resistance & cost. Valve seat linings, metal replacement parts etc. |
| Polypropylene Novolen/Appryl/Escorene |
PP | 0.91 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & stiff, low cost. Beer crates and spade handles. |
| Polyphenylene Oxide Noryl/Thermocomp/Vamporan |
PPO | 1.07 | Tough & stable, high cost. Electrical parts requiring tight tolerances. |
| Polyphenylene Sulphide Ryton/Fortron |
PPS | 1.65 | Brown, v.good heat resist., v.high strength &
cost Fuel system parts, guides, bearings etc. |
| Polystyrene - General Purpose Lacqrene/Styron/Solarene |
GPPS | 1.00 | Transparent and brittle, low cost. Cosmetics packaging and ball-point barrel pens. |
| Polystyrene - High Impact Polystyrol/Kostil/Polystar |
HIPS | 1.05 | Natural translucent and tough, low cost. Food containers; cotton reels; toys - model kits. |
| Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride Polycol/Trosiplast |
UPVC | 1.40 | Transparent to opaque; tough, low cost. Outdoor applications - gutters, drainpipes & fittings. |
| Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride Welvic/Varlan |
PVC | 1.30 | Transparent to opaque; tough & flexible, low cost. Shoe soles and electrical insulation. |
| Styrene Acrylonitrile Luran/Arpylene/Starex |
SAN | 1.07 | Transparent and brittle, low cost. Table and picnic ware. |
| Thermoplastic Elastomer/Rubber Hytrel/Santoprene/Sarlink |
TPE/R | 1.10 | Tough & flexible, high cost. Electrically insulated parts, seals, bushes & washers. |
