Thermal Conductivity of Polymers and Plastics
Polymers and plastics are generally poor thermal conductors, with thermal conductivities typically ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 (W/m·K). This means that they are good insulators, which is why they are often used in applications where heat transfer needs to be minimized.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of thermal conductivity values for different polymers and plastics, taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
Click on the icon to switch between SI (W/m·K) and Imperial (BTU/h·ft·°F) units.
| Acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) | 0.17 - 0.34 |
| Butyl rubber (IIR) | 0.13 - 0.23 |
| Cellulose acetate (CA) | 0.16 - 0.36 |
| Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) | 0.16 - 0.32 |
| Cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) | 0.16 - 0.33 |
| Cellulose nitrate (CN) | 0.18 |
| Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) | 0.14 |
| Ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) | 2.22 |
| Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) | 0.24 |
| Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) | 0.16 |
| Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) | 0.19 - 0.25 |
| Melamine formaldehyde (MF) | 0.35 |
| Natural rubber | 0.15 |
| Nitrile rubber (NBR) | 0.25 |
| Nylon 6 (PA6) | 0.23 |
| Nylon 11 (PA11) | 0.3 |
| Nylon 12 (PA12) | 0.19 |
| Nylon 46 (PA46) | 0.3 |
| Nylon 66 (PA66) | 0.25 |
| Nylon 612 (PA612) | 0.22 |
| Perfluorinated alkoxy (PFA) | 0.25 |
| Phenol formaldehyde (PF) | 0.25 |
| Polyamide-imide (PAI) | 0.26 - 0.54 |
| Polyarylate resins (PAR) | 0.178 |
| Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) | 0.21 |
| Polybutylene (PB) | 0.22 |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | 0.19 - 0.22 |
| Neoprene (CPR) | 0.19 |
| Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) | 0.25 |
| Polyetherimide (PEI) | 0.22 |
| Polyethersulfone (PESU) | 0.13 - 0.18 |
| High-density polyethylene (HDPE) | 0.42 - 0.52 |
| Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) | 0.33 |
| Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) | 0.45 - 0.52 |
| Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | 0.17 - 0.40 |
| Polyimide (PI) | 0.10 - 0.36 |
| Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) | 0.17 - 0.19 |
| Polymethylpentene (PMP) | 0.17 |
| Polyoxymethylene (POM) | 0.37 |
| Polyphenylene oxide (PPO) | 0.22 |
| Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) | 0.17 - 0.28 |
| Polypropylene (PP atactic) | 0.12 |
| Polypropylene (PP isotactic) | 0.154 |
| Polypropylene (PP syndiotactic) | 0.154 |
| High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) | 0.124 |
| Polystyrene (PS) | 0.10 - 0.13 |
| Polysulfone (PSU) | 0.26 |
| Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | 0.25 |
| Polytrifluorochloroethylene (PTFCE) | 0.19 - 0.22 |
| Polyurethane (PUR) | 0.21 |
| Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) | 0.16 |
| Polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) | 0.795 |
| Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) | 0.13 |
| Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) | 0.10 - 0.25 |
| Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) | 0.17 |
| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | 0.167 |
| Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) | 0.17 |
| Urea-formaldehyde (UF) | 0.30 - 0.42 |
The thermal conductivity of polymers and plastics can vary depending on their specific composition and processing conditions.
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) A.M. Howatson, P.G. Lun, J.D. Todd, P.D. Engineering Tables and Data. United Kingdom: University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, 2009. 3) CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook. United States: CRC Press, 2000.