TABLE I.

Summary of properties for thermoplastics.^5–11

Thermoplastics	Thermal expansion coefficient [m/(m K)] 10−6	Young's modulus (GPa)	Tg ($°C$)	Tm ($°C$)	Solubility parameter $\delta \hspace{0.17em}$(MPa)1/2	Water absorption (%)	O2 permeability (x10−13 cm3. cm cm−2 s−1 Pa−1)	Biocompatibility	Transparency	Auto-fluorescence
Cyclo olefin (co) polymer (COC/COP)	60–70	1.7–3.2	70–180	190–320	17.7	0.01	NA	Biocompatible	Transparent	Low
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)	7077	2.4–3.4	105	250–260	20.1	0.1–0.4	0.1	Biocompatible	Transparent	Low
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)	59.4	2–2.7	70	255	20.5	0.16	0.03	Biocompatible	Transparent	Medium
Polyethylene-low density (LDPE)	100–200	0.11–0.45	−125	105–115	17.6	0.005–0.015	2	Biocompatible	Both opaque and transparent	Medium
Polyethylene-high density (HDPE)	120	0.8	−80	120–180	18.2	0.005–0.01	0.4	Biocompatible	Both opaque and transparent	Medium
Polypropylene (PP)	72–90	1.5–2	−20	160	16.3	0.01–0.1	1.7	Biocompatible	Both opaque and transparent	Medium
Polystyrene (PS)	70	3–3.5	95	240	18.7	0.02–0.15	2	Biocompatible	Transparent	High
Polycarbonate (PC)	65–70	2.6	145	260–270	19.4	0.23	1	Biocompatible	Transparent	High
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)	54–110	2.4–4.1	80	100–260	19.4	0.04–0.4	0.04	Biocompatible	Transparent	High
Polyamide (Nylon)	110	2.5	47–60	190–350	28	1.6–1.9	0.03	Biocompatible	Transparent	High
Polysulfone(PSU)	55–60	2.48	185	180–190	18.7	0.2–0.8	NA	Biocompatible	Translucent	High
Polylactic acid (PLA)	740	3.5	60–65	150–160		0.68	NA	Biocompatible (problematic)	Transparent	High
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)	112–135	0.4	115	326	12.6	0.005–0.01	3	Biocompatible	Translucent	High
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)	26	4–24	143	343	21.9	0.1–0.5	0.1	Biocompatible	Opaque	NA
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)	72–108	1.4–3.1	105	Amorphous	18.8	0.05–1.8	0.5	Not suitable	Both opaque and transparent	High