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Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA)

PFA is a fluoroplastic (fluorine-based thermoplastic). It has a very high density among thermoplastics. In addition, it has a fairly high ductility and a fairly low tensile strength. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare PFA to: fluoroplastics (top), all thermoplastics (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.

Mechanical Properties

Elongation at Break

300 %

Flexural Modulus

0.7 GPa 0.1 x 106 psi

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)

30 MPa 4.4 x 103 psi

Thermal Properties

Heat Deflection Temperature At 1.82 MPa (264 psi)

50 °C 120 °F

Heat Deflection Temperature At 455 kPa (66 psi)

75 °C 170 °F

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical

260 °C 500 °F

Melting Onset (Solidus)

300 °C 570 °F

Specific Heat Capacity

1000 J/kg-K 0.24 BTU/lb-°F

Thermal Conductivity

0.25 W/m-K 0.14 BTU/h-ft-°F

Thermal Expansion

120 µm/m-K

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 Hz

2.1

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz

2.6

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential)

22 kV/mm 0.86 V/mil

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude

16 10x Ω-m

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density

2.2 g/cm3 130 lb/ft3

Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI)

80 %

Refractive Index

1.4

Water Absorption After 24 Hours

0 %

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial

3.9 points

Strength to Weight: Bending

10 points

Thermal Diffusivity

0.12 mm2/s

Followup Questions

Further Reading

Fluoroplastics: Volume 2 - Melt Processable Fluoropolymers, Sina Ebnesajjad, 2003

SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed., Michael L. Berins (editor), 2000

Modern Plastics Handbook, Charles A. Harper (editor), 1999

Plastics Materials, 7th ed., J. A. Brydson, 1999