Material Comparison - PVC & PTFE

PTFE's significant chemical, temperature, moisture, and electrical resistances make it an ideal material whenever products, tools, and components need to be durable and reliable in even the most strenuous applications. On top of this, PTFE coated wire boasts unique low-temperature durability and fire resistance that make it a good choice for a constantly growing list of products, components, and applications.

PVC cables are manufactured at a much lower cost because they don’t have to meet the high temperature rating that PTFE cables do. PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride which is a compound engineered to be used in electronics and other indoor applications.

PVC electronic cables meet a 105°C temperature rating in 300 or 600 volts. They’re manufactured with flexible copper strands and PVC insulation on the inner conductors. They sometimes come with an aluminum overall foil shield and a tinned copper drain wire.

Now that you know the construction of a PVC cable you’ll probably understand why a PTFE cable is much more expensive. PTFE compound is used to manufacture a 200°C temperature material to cover the copper conductors. The engineering involved in creating a 200°C cable is much more involved than the process of creating a 105°C cable.

Property Name	Units	ABS/PVC Alloy	PTFE Filled
Specific Heat Capacity	BTU/lb-°F	0.382
Shear Modulus	ksi
Compressive Yield Strength	psi	3050	5710
Poisson's Ratio
Dielectric Constant		3.3	3.7
Dielectric Strength	kV/in	508	467
Elongation at Break	%	100	9.4
Flexural Yield Strength	psi	7030	9820
Modulus of Elasticity	ksi	319	348
Hardness, Rockwell R		88	110
Tensile Strength, Ultimate	psi	4030	6580
Tensile Strength, Yield	psi	5420	8270
Electrical Resistivity	ohm-cm	1.00e+14	3.00e+15
Density	lb/in³	0.0423	0.0531
Max Service Temperature, Air	°F	170	212
Thermal Conductivity	BTU-in/hr-ft²-°F	1.87	1.67
Fracture Toughness	ksi-in½