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MDF vs. ASTM B685 Alloy

MDF and ASTM B685 alloy belong to fundamentally different material chemistries. MDF is a polymeric material, while ASTM B685 alloy is a metal. Therefore, their performance will be even more dissimilar than would be suggested by the difference in properties. There are 12 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (10, in this case) are not shown. Please note that the two materials have significantly dissimilar densities. This means that additional care is required when interpreting the data, because some material properties are based on units of mass, while others are based on units of area or volume.

For each property being compared, the top bar is MDF and the bottom bar is ASTM B685 alloy.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 4.0
120
Poisson's Ratio 0.25
0.37
Shear Modulus, GPa 2.5
43
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 18
660 to 1060

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 1700
300
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 12
14

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm3 0.75
11

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 3.0
6.1
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 71
15
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 6.7
17 to 27
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 20
16 to 21
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 27
28 to 46