Polyesters and liquid crystal polymers

polyesters

6 materials across 1 types

About polyesters and liquid crystal polymers

Polyesters (PET, PBT, PEN, PLA, PHB, LCP): strength, barrier and temperature data with sources.

Thermoplastic polyesters cover packaging films, electrical housings and bio-based plastics. Liquid crystal polymers are stiff, flow into thin parts and are used in connectors and electronics.

At a glance

Highest density: Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) reaches 1.4 g/cm³. Lowest: PHB starts at 1.22 g/cm³. (6 of 6 grades have a sourced value.)
Highest tensile strength: PEN reaches 300 MPa. Lowest: PLA starts at 24 MPa. (5 of 6 grades have a sourced value.)

Ranges run across the conditions each source reports (temper, heat treatment, form), measured at room temperature where the source says so.

How they compare

The same measurements for every material in the collection. A range means the grade has values under several conditions; "at least" means the source gives a specified minimum. "no data" means no sourced value yet. For ranked tables, open a benchmark.

Polyesters and liquid crystal polymers: how the grades compare
Material	Density	Tensile strength	Young's modulus	Glass transition	Heat deflection temperature	Maximum service temperature
Liquid crystal polymer (LCP)high-performance thermoplastic for low-loss RF and flexible electronics	1.4 g/cm³	55 to 165 MPa	no data	no data	180 to 220 °C	200 to 220 °C
PBTInjection-moulding polyester for electrical housings, plug connectors and keycaps; one sample flew on MISSE 2 in low Earth orbit	1.3 to 1.33 g/cm³	no data	2.4 to 2.6 GPa	60 °C	54 to 165 °C	150 to 200 °C
PENPolyester film for motor slot and phase insulation, and a higher-temperature alternative to PET film	1.33 to 1.36 g/cm³	200 to 300 MPa	2.2 to 5.5 GPa	114 °C	91 to 105 °C	155 to 180 °C
PETPolyester film for thermal blankets, solar sails and electrical insulation	1.35 to 1.39 g/cm³	190 to 210 MPa	3.8 GPa	76 °C	no data	150 °C
PHBBacterial bioplastic polyester for moulded, extruded and printed parts	1.22 to 1.23 g/cm³	30 to 38 MPa	3.3 GPa	2.4 °C	no data	no data
PLABio-based polyester for moulded parts, extruded sheet, coatings and 3D printing filament	1.22 to 1.24 g/cm³	24 to 53 MPa	2.31 to 3.5 GPa	55 to 60 °C	54 to 149 °C	no data

Where they are used

Uses
Use	Grades
Flexible RF and microwave circuit substrates	Liquid crystal polymer (LCP)
Automotive radar modules	Liquid crystal polymer (LCP)
Housings and plug connectors in electrical engineering, and plug connectors in automotive construction	PBT
Keycaps of high-end computer keyboards	PBT
Slot, phase and wedge insulation in electric motors (Teonex Q 51 and Q5100)	PEN
Substrate for flexible integrated circuits	PEN
Multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets for spacecraft and cryogenic tanks	PET
Solar sail membrane (LightSail spacecraft)	PET
Electrical insulation film and laminates	PET
Engineered microbes producing PHA for in-space manufacturing (research, not flown)	PHB
3D-printed PHB parts (fused deposition modelling)	PHB
Injection-moulded electronics housings	PLA
Semi-durable building materials (injection-moulded parts)	PLA

When each grade fits

Best use and weak spots of each grade
Material	Best for	Weakest at
Liquid crystal polymer (LCP)	Low-loss RF substrates and flexible circuits where the dielectric constant and moisture uptake must stay stable in humid air	Loss rises with temperature, about 20% more line loss at 75 °C and 50% or more at 125 °C, and no space-exposure result for LCP was found
PBT	Stiff, dimensionally stable moulded parts for electrical housings and plug connectors that stay dry and below about 150 °C	Hot water and long heat: PBT is sensitive to hot water above 60 °C, and atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit erodes it at 9.11e-24 cm3/atom (MISSE 2)
PEN	Thin, stiff, heat-tolerant electrical film, where PET runs out of temperature margin (motor slot insulation, flexible substrates)	Little published ageing data: no flight atomic-oxygen value and no quantitative humidity or UV result was found in the sources checked
PET	Thin, lightweight, flexible film where low mass and tensile strength matter, and where it sits in vacuum away from direct sunlight (multilayer insulation, sails, electrical insulation)	Water and heat over time: Mylar hydrolyzes under high temperature and humidity, and in LEO atomic oxygen erodes it (MISSE 2, 3.01e-24 cm3/atom)
PHB	Bio-based, biodegradable thermoplastic parts and 3D-printed items where a fossil-free polyester is wanted and brittleness is acceptable or blended away.	Brittleness and a narrow processing window: unfilled P(3HB) breaks at 3.8 % elongation, and it degrades just above its melting point.
PLA	Moulded and extruded parts that stay below about 55 °C in service, such as clear cups, cutlery and housings, and printed parts from the high-heat monofilament grades (heat deflection 75 to 90 °C).	Heat and moisture: the 2003D, 3052D and amorphous 3100HP grades deform at 54 to 55 °C, and moisture above 0.025 % (250 ppm) risks viscosity loss during processing.