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