Hardwood vs. Thermoset PI

Hardwood belongs to the wood-based materials classification, while thermoset PI belongs to the thermoset plastics. There are 11 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (19, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is hardwood and the bottom bar is thermoset PI.

Hardwood Thermoset Polyimide (PI)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		40
Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		120 to 210

Elongation at Break, %		2.0
Elongation at Break, %		2.0 to 5.9

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		80
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		37 to 81

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1260
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1130

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.16
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.29 to 1.7

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		6.0
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		38 to 54

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		0.5
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		20

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		0.7
Density, g/cm³		1.4 to 1.6

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		32
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		6.5 to 16

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		59
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		16 to 30

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.18
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.18 to 0.95