PPE vs. CAB

Both PPE and CAB are thermoplastics. There are 17 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (13, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is PPE and the bottom bar is CAB.

Polyphenylene Ether (PPE)Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elongation at Break, %		30
Elongation at Break, %		50 to 55

Flexural Strength, MPa		75
Flexural Strength, MPa		21 to 57

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		55
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		20 to 50

Thermal Properties

Glass Transition Temperature, °C		85
Glass Transition Temperature, °C		140

Heat Deflection Temperature At 1.82 MPa (264 psi), °C		120
Heat Deflection Temperature At 1.82 MPa (264 psi), °C		53 to 82

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1200
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1460

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.22
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.25

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		90
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		14

Vicat Softening Temperature, °C		140
Vicat Softening Temperature, °C		90 to 120

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		2.7
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		3.6

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		19
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		15

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		13
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		16

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		1.1
Density, g/cm³		1.2

Water Absorption After 24 Hours, %		0.23
Water Absorption After 24 Hours, %		1.2 to 1.6

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		14
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		4.8 to 12

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		30
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		14 to 25

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.17
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.14 to 0.15