Comparison
PET Unfilled vs ABS
A side-by-side comparison of Polyethylene Terephthalate Unfilled and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene.
Physical
Density
1.33-1.40 g/cm³
1.04 – 1.07 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
0.1-0.3 %
0.20 – 0.45 %
Transparency
Transparent to Opaque (depending on grade)
Opaque
Shrinkage
1.0-2.0 %
0.4 – 0.9 %
Specific Gravity
—
1.05
Surface Finish
—
Matte to glossy
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
3.0-4.0 GPa
1.8 – 2.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
50-70 MPa
40 – 50 MPa
Elongation at Break
5-50 %
10 – 50 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
3-7 kJ/m
200 – 400 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
60 – 80 MPa
Hardness (Rockwell R)
—
100 – 115
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
65-80 °C
105 °C
Melting Point
250-265 °C
Amorphous (no true Tm)
Continuous Service Temperature
80-100 °C
70 – 90 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
50-70 °C (1.8 MPa)
85 – 100 °C
Thermal Conductivity
—
0.17 W/m·K
CTE
—
80 – 100 × 10⁻⁶ /K
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
3.0-3.5
2.7 – 3.2
Volume Resistivity
10^14-10^16 Ohm-cm
10¹⁶ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
15 – 20 kV/mm
Surface Resistivity
—
10¹⁵ Ω
Chemical resistance
Acids
Good
—
Bases
Poor
Good
Solvents
Good (alcohols, oils)
—
UV Resistance
Fair
Poor (unless stabilized)
Acids (dilute)
—
Good
Alcohols
—
Good
Oils & Greases
—
Fair
Gasoline
—
Poor
Acetone
—
Attacks / dissolves
Weathering
—
Poor without stabilizers
Sustainability
Recyclability
Highly Recyclable
Recyclable (mechanical)
Recycling Code
1 (PET)
7 (Other)
Carbon Footprint
Moderate
~3.1 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
0 %