The Most Common Impact-Resistant Plastics

Tough materials can solve breakage problems—if you know which to choose.

Impact-resistant plastics are used in industries where strength, toughness, and durability are critical.

Don't miss the in-depth analysis that follows—especially the material comparison tables.

What Are Impact-Resistant Plastics?

Not all plastics can handle drops, hits, or pressure.

Impact-resistant plastics are engineered to absorb energy and resist cracking under mechanical stress.

Dive Deeper: Understanding the Basics of Impact Resistance

Impact resistance refers to a material’s ability to absorb sudden force without breaking. These plastics are often chosen for structural parts, casings, safety gear, and more.

How It Works:

• When struck, the plastic deforms slightly to absorb energy.
• Some materials exhibit elastic behavior; others disperse stress throughout the structure.
• Additives like rubber or fibers can improve impact performance.

Key Properties to Consider:

Property	Description
Notched Izod Impact1	Measures resistance to fracture under sharp force
Tensile Strength	Resistance to being pulled apart
Flexural Modulus	Stiffness under bending
Heat Deflection Temp	Withstands high temperatures during impact

Choosing the right material depends on balancing these traits with environmental exposure, load type, and lifespan.

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Common Types of Impact-Resistant Plastics?

Picking the right plastic isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Popular impact-resistant plastics² include ABS, polycarbonate, HDPE, UHMW, and PEEK.

Dive Deeper: Plastic Types That Withstand Impact

1. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

• Widely used due to affordability and good balance of strength and processability.
• Often used in consumer products like helmets, electronics housings, and toys.

2. Polycarbonate (PC)³

• Extremely high impact strength.
• Common in eyewear, machine guards, and transparent safety barriers.

3. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

• Resistant to wear, chemicals, and shocks.
• Common in packaging, containers, and structural applications.

4. UHMW (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene)

• Exceptional impact resistance and low friction.
• Often used in conveyor systems and abrasion-heavy applications.

5. PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone)⁴

• High-performance plastic for aerospace, automotive, and medical.
• Offers excellent mechanical strength even at high temperatures.

Plastic Type	Impact Strength	Transparency	Temperature Resistance	Common Uses
ABS	Medium	Opaque	Up to 80°C	Housings, helmets, handles
PC	Very High	Transparent	Up to 135°C	Lenses, machine guards
HDPE	High	Translucent	Up to 120°C	Piping, crates, tanks
UHMW	Very High	Opaque	Up to 80°C	Liners, gears, wear strips
PEEK	High	Opaque	Up to 250°C	Aerospace, valves, engine parts

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How Impact-Resistant Plastics Are Tested?

You can’t rely on assumptions—testing matters.

Impact resistance is tested using standardized methods like the Izod and Charpy tests⁵.

Dive Deeper: Common Testing Methods for Plastic Durability

Izod Impact Test

• A notched specimen is struck with a pendulum.
• Measures the energy absorbed during fracture.
• Results reported in kJ/m².

Charpy Impact Test

• Similar to Izod but uses a horizontal sample.
• Often used in Europe and international standards.

Falling Dart Impact Test⁶

• A dart is dropped from a specific height onto a flat plastic sample.
• Helps determine resistance to puncture and breakage.

Test Type	Application	Units	Common Standards
Izod	General plastic parts	kJ/m²	ASTM D256
Charpy	Structural components	kJ/m²	ISO 179
Falling Dart	Packaging, films	g or J	ASTM D3029, D4272

Test results should guide design, but must be paired with real-use conditions to ensure reliability.

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Applications of Impact-Resistant Plastics?

These materials show up in more industries than you'd think.

Impact-resistant plastics are widely used in automotive, medical, industrial, and consumer sectors.

Dive Deeper: Industry-Specific Use Cases

Automotive

• Bumpers, dashboard panels, and interior trim.
• Reduce injury risks and improve durability.

Medical

• Equipment housings, trays, and devices.
• Withstand sterilization and drops.

Industrial

• Machine guards, panels, and enclosures.
• Prevent damage during operation or accidents.

Electronics

• Casings, impact-proof smartphone covers.
• Safeguard delicate components.

Consumer Products

• Helmets, toys, luggage, kitchenware.
• Combine safety with cost-effectiveness.

Industry	Components	Preferred Plastic
Automotive	Bumpers, panels	ABS, PC
Medical	Casings, containers	PEEK, PC, HDPE
Industrial	Covers, guards	UHMW, ABS
Consumer	Toys, furniture, gear	ABS, PC, HDPE

Designers must consider performance needs, costs, and compliance with industry standards.

Factors Affecting the Impact Resistance of Plastics?

Material alone doesn’t tell the whole story.

Impact resistance is influenced by molecular structure, additives, part geometry, and environment.

Dive Deeper: What Makes or Breaks Plastic Toughness

1. Material Composition

• The molecular chain length and crystallinity affect impact resistance⁷.
• Additives like rubber or glass fibers modify mechanical behavior.

2. Temperature

• Lower temperatures can make plastics brittle.
• Some high-performance plastics maintain toughness even when cold.

3. Part Design

• Sharp corners or thin walls concentrate stress.
• Radiused corners and ribbing help dissipate force.

4. Processing Conditions

• Poor molding or machining can introduce stress points.
• Post-processing like annealing improves material toughness.

5. CNC Machining and Its Role

• CNC machining is often used to manufacture impact-resistant plastic parts with precise tolerances.
• It avoids thermal deformation compared to molding and is ideal for low-volume runs.

Factor	Effect on Impact Resistance
Additives	Improve flexibility or stiffness
Temperature Range	Extreme cold reduces toughness
Design Complexity	Sharp corners reduce impact strength
Processing Technique	Poor quality control introduces flaws
Machining Method	CNC ensures consistent quality

Combining good materials with smart design and processing is key to reliable performance.

Conclusion

Impact-resistant plastics offer a range of performance benefits across industries when carefully selected, tested, and manufactured for their intended use.