Plastics Part Design: The Continuous Use Temperature of 124 Most Used Plastics

Hello and welcome to this blog post on the topic of continuous use temperature (CUT) of thermoplastics.

The maximum acceptable temperature for thermoplastics is one of the most critical requirements to be handled during your material selection. Above the maximum use temperature, mechanical properties (mainly tensile strength and impact strength) or electrical properties (dielectric strength) will drop significantly. On the other hand, long term retention of mechanical and other required properties over the product lifetime is crucial. Therefore, you need to be able to estimate your continuous use temperature.
Don’t worry; there are already methods out there which can assist you. There is the UL 746 which is used to calculate the Relative Temperature Index (RTI; measured in °C).

What is RTI?
Citation UL: “RTI is the temperature in °C, at which properties have decreased to 50% of their initial value after a long-term exposure to this temperature (100,000 hours)”.


The Table 1 below shows the maximum use temperature of 124 most used plastics and can assist you in your daily material selection.


Table 1: Continuous Use / Service Temperature of 124 most used Plastics.

Polymer Name	Max Value (°C)  according UL 746 (RTI)
ABS - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene	89.0
ABS Flame Retardant	95.0
ABS High Heat	110.0
ABS High Impact	100.0
ABS/PC Blend – Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene/Polycarbonate Blend	110.0
ABS/PC Blend 20% Glass Fiber	110.0
ABS/PC Flame Retardant	110.0
ASA - Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate	90.0
ASA/PC Blend – Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate/Polycarbonate Blend	110.0
ASA/PC Flame Retardant	110.0
ASA/PVC Blend – Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate/Polyvinyl Chloride Blend	90.0
CA - Cellulose Acetate	95.0
CAB - Cellulose Acetate Butyrate	105.0
CP - Cellulose Proprionate	105.0
CPVC - Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride	100.0
ECTFE - Ethylene Chlorotrifluoroethylene	150.0
ETFE - Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene	155.0
EVA - Ethylene Vinyl Acetate	70.0
EVOH - Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol	100.0
FEP - Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene	205.0
HDPE - High Density Polyethylene	120.0
HIPS - High Impact Polystyrene	80.0
HIPS Flame Retardant V0	80.0
Ionomer (Ethylene-Methyl Acrylate Copolymer)	48.0
LCP - Liquid Crystal Polymer	240.0
LCP Carbon Fiber-reinforced	240.0
LCP Glass Fiber-reinforced	240.0
LCP Mineral-filled	240.0
LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene	100.0
LLDPE - Linear Low Density Polyethylene	110.0
MABS - Transparent Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene	80.0
PA 46 - Polyamide 46	150.0
PA 46, 30% Glass Fiber	160.0
PA 6 - Polyamide 6	120.0
PA 6-10 - Polyamide 6-10	150.0
PA 66 - Polyamide 6-6	140.0
PA 66, 30% Glass Fiber	150.0
PA 66, 30% Mineral filled	140.0
PA 66, Impact Modified, 15-30% Glass Fiber	140.0
PA 66, Impact Modified	130.0
Polyamide semi-aromatic	135.0
PAI - Polyamide-Imide	280.0
PAI, 30% Glass Fiber	220.0
PAI, Low Friction	220.0
PAR - Polyarylate	130.0
PBT - Polybutylene Terephthalate	140.0
PBT, 30% Glass Fiber	140.0
PC (Polycarbonate) 20-40% Glass Fiber	125.0
PC (Polycarbonate) 20-40% Glass Fiber Flame Retardant	125.0
PC - Polycarbonate, high heat	140.0
PC/PBT Blend – Polycarbonate/Polybutylene Terephthalate Blend	121.0
PC/PBT blend, Glass Filled	193.0
PCL - Polycaprolactone	45.0
PCTFE - Polymonochlorotrifluoroethylene	175.0
PE - Polyethylene 30% Glass Fiber	130.0
PEEK - Polyetheretherketone	260.0
PEEK 30% Carbon Fiber-reinforced	240.0
PEEK 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	240.0
PEI - Polyetherimide	170.0
PEI, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	170.0
PEI, Mineral Filled	170.0
PESU - Polyethersulfone	180.0
PESU 10-30% glass fiber	180.0
PET - Polyethylene Terephtalate	140.0
PET, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	140.0
PET, 30/35% Glass Fiber-reinforced, Impact Modified	140.0
PETG - Polyethylene Terephtalate Glycol	63.0
PFA - Perfluoroalkoxy	260.0
PHB-V(5% valerate)	95.0
PI - Polyimide	360.0
PMMA - Polymethylmethacrylate/Acrylic	90.0
PMMA (Acrylic) High Heat	150.0
PMMA (Acrylic) Impact Modified	90.0
PMP - Polymethylpentene	110.0
PMP 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	110.0
PMP Mineral Filled	110.0
POM - Polyoxymethylene (Acetal)	105.0
POM (Acetal) Impact Modified	100.0
POM (Acetal) Low Friction	105.0
POM (Acetal) Mineral Filled	105.0
PP - Polypropylene 10-20% Glass Fiber	130.0
PP, 10-40% Mineral Filled	130.0
PP, 10-40% Talc Filled	130.0
PP, 30-40% Glass Fiber-reinforced	130.0
PP (Polypropylene) Copolymer	130.0
PP (Polypropylene) Homopolymer	130.0
PP, Impact Modified	115.0
PPA - Polyphthalamide	140.0
PPA, 30% Mineral-filled	156.0
PPA, 33% Glass Fiber-reinforced	186.0
PPA, 45% Glass Fiber-reinforced	186.0
PPE - Polyphenylene Ether	110.0
PPE, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	110.0
PPE, Flame Retardant	110.0
PPE, Impact Modified	110.0
PPE, Mineral Filled	110.0
PPS - Polyphenylene Sulfide	220.0
PPS, 20-30% Glass Fiber-reinforced	220.0
PPS, 40% Glass Fiber-reinforced	220.0
PPS, Conductive	220.0
PPS, Glass fiber & Mineral-filled	220.0
PPSU - Polyphenylene Sulfone	210.0
PS (Polystyrene) 30% glass fiber	122.0
PS (Polystyrene) Crystal	80.0
PS, High Heat	90.0
PSU - Polysulfone	180.0
PSU, 30% Glass finer-reinforced	180.0
PSU Mineral Filled	150.0
PTFE - Polytetrafluoroethylene	290.0
PTFE, 25% Glass Fiber-reinforced	260.0
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), 20% Glass Fiber-reinforced	80.0
PVC, Plasticized	80.0
PVC, Plasticized Filled	80.0
PVC Rigid	80.0
PVDC - Polyvinylidene Chloride	90.0
PVDF - Polyvinylidene Fluoride	150.0
SAN - Styrene Acrylonitrile	95.0
SAN, 20% Glass Fiber-reinforced	95.0
SMA - Styrene Maleic Anhydride	100.0
SMA, 20% Glass Fiber-reinforced	100.0
SMA, Flame Retardant V0	100.0
SMMA - Styrene Methyl Methacrylate	100.0
UHMWPE - Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene	130.0
XLPE - Crosslinked Polyethylene	82.0

Thanks for reading and #findoutaboutplastics

Greetings, 

Herwig Juster

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Literature:

1. https://omnexus.specialchem.com/
2. Saechtling Kunststoff Taschenbuch by Erwin Baur