Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser
BASF Ultradur B 4300 G6 (PBT, 30% glass fibre), injection moulding grade; product information sheet 09/2026, typical values for uncoloured product at 23 °C.
Wood
Northern red oak (Quercus rubra), clear straight-grained specimens at 12% MC, parallel to grain unless stated; USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021) Ch. 4 and Ch. 5
1
Ultradur B 4300 G6 Product InformationBASFPlastic PBT GF30 · Ultimate tensile strength: stress at break, 23 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Flexural strength: typical, 23 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Elongation at break: strain at break, 23 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, 23 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Density: typicalPlastic PBT GF30 · Thermal conductivity: typical (DIN 52612-1)Plastic PBT GF30 · Thermal expansion: longitudinal (flow), mean 23-55 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Specific heat: typical, 23 °CPlastic PBT GF30 · Melting point: DSC (ISO 11357)Plastic PBT GF30 · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa
2
Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 5: Mechanical Properties of WoodUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Ultimate tensile strength: modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)Wood · Compressive strength: compression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength), 12% MCWood · Flexural strength: modulus of rupture (static bending), 12% MCWood · Young's modulus (stiffness): bending MOE, parallel to grainWood · Poisson's ratio: mu_LR (red oak group, ~12% MC)
3
Technical Note 218: Weights of Various Woods Grown in the United States (1953)USDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Density: average weight of clear wood at 8% and 15% moisture content
4
Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 4: Moisture Relations and Physical Properties of WoodUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Thermal conductivity: across grain, 12% MC (Table 4-7, approximate)Wood · Thermal expansion: parallel to grain, ovendry wood, range across speciesWood · Specific heat: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Plastic PBT GF30 stronger than Wood?
Plastic PBT GF30 is stronger: its tensile strength is 140 MPa against 99 MPa for Wood (41%).
Which is lighter, Plastic PBT GF30 or Wood?
Wood is lighter: 692 kg/m³ against 1,530 kg/m³ for Plastic PBT GF30.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PBT GF30 or Wood?
Wood is stiffer: Young's modulus 12.5 GPa against 9.8 GPa for Plastic PBT GF30, so the same part in Wood deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PBT GF30 or Wood?
For the same stiffness or strength: Wood is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Plastic PBT GF30
Wood
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
2.82x heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
2.5x heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
2.4x heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
1.56x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
1.76x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
1.86x heavier
lighter
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Plastic PBT GF30 or Wood?
Plastic PBT GF30 conducts heat better: 0.27 W/m·K against 0.18 W/m·K for Wood.
Which expands less with temperature?
Wood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 25 µm/m·K for Plastic PBT GF30.