Melting Point of Polymers and Plastics
Unlike metals and some other materials with well-defined melting points, polymers often exhibit a range of temperatures over which they soften and eventually melt. This is because polymers are composed of long chains of repeating molecular units, and the transition from a solid to a liquid involves the gradual disentanglement and motion of these chains.
The melting point of a polymer is influenced by its chemical structure, molecular weight, and the presence of additives. Amorphous polymers generally have a lower and broader melting range, while crystalline polymers have a more defined melting point due to the ordered packing of molecular chains in a crystalline structure.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of melting point values for different polymers and plastics at 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
Click on the icon to switch between degrees Celsius (°C) and degrees Fahrenheit (°F) units.
| Acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) | 190 - 270 |
| Cellulose acetate (CA) | 230 |
| Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) | 170 - 240 |
| Cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) | 188 - 210 |
| Cellulose nitrate (CN) | 160 - 170 |
| Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) | 110 |
| Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) | 270 |
| Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) | 245 |
| Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) | 260 |
| Natural rubber | 180 |
| Nylon 6 (PA6) | 220 |
| Nylon 11 (PA11) | 180 - 190 |
| Nylon 12 (PA12) | 130 - 220 |
| Nylon 46 (PA46) | 290 |
| Nylon 66 (PA66) | 260 |
| Nylon 610 (PA610) | 230 - 280 |
| Nylon 612 (PA612) | 217 |
| Perfluorinated alkoxy (PFA) | 310 |
| Polyamide-imide (PAI) | 315 - 360 |
| Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) | 223 |
| Polybutylene (PB) | 135 |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | 280 - 320 |
| Neoprene (CPR) | 80 |
| Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) | 343 |
| High-density polyethylene (HDPE) | 125 - 137 |
| Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) | 102 - 115 |
| Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) | 110 - 120 |
| Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) | 125 - 135 |
| Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) | 270 |
| Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | 260 - 280 |
| Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) | 170 - 180 |
| Polyimide (PI) | 365 |
| Polylactic acid (PLA) | 150 - 160 |
| Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) | 160 |
| Polymethylpentene (PMP) | 250 |
| Polyoxymethylene (POM) | 175 |
| Polyphenylene oxide (PPO) | 260 |
| Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) | 280 |
| Polypropylene (PP atactic) | 176 |
| Polypropylene (PP isotactic) | 165 |
| Polypropylene (PP syndiotactic) | 135 |
| High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) | 210 - 270 |
| Polystyrene (PS) | 170 - 280 |
| Polysulfone (PSU) | 190 |
| Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | 327 |
| Polytrifluorochloroethylene (PTFCE) | 215 |
| Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) | 60 |
| Polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) | 200 |
| Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) | 180 - 220 |
| Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) | 140 - 180 |
| Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) | 200 |
| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | 100 - 260 |
| Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) | 150 - 220 |
The melting point of polymers and plastics can vary based on the specific grade, additives, and processing methods used for each polymer or plastic.