PLA vs. MDF
PLA belongs to the thermoplastics classification, while MDF belongs to the wood-based materials. There are 12 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (11, in this case) are not shown.
For each property being compared, the top bar is PLA and the bottom bar is MDF.
Metric UnitsUS Customary Units
Mechanical Properties
| Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa | 3.5 | |
| 4.0 |
| Elongation at Break, % | 6.0 | |
| 0.5 |
| Shear Modulus, GPa | 2.4 | |
| 2.5 |
| Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa | 50 | |
| 18 |
Thermal Properties
| Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K | 1800 | |
| 1700 |
| Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K | 0.13 | |
| 0.3 |
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
| Density, g/cm3 | 1.3 | |
| 0.75 |
Common Calculations
| Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points | 1.6 | |
| 3.0 |
| Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points | 40 | |
| 71 |
| Strength to Weight: Axial, points | 11 | |
| 6.7 |
| Strength to Weight: Bending, points | 24 | |
| 20 |
| Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s | 0.058 | |
| 0.24 |