PPA-LCF20 | 20% Long Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyphthalamide

PPA-LCF20 is a high performance, semi crystalline engineering thermoplastic reinforced with 20% long carbon fibers. This material is specifically designed to provide an advanced balance of mechanical strength, stiffness, and impact resistance, while also offering superior fatigue life and thermal dimensional stability. The incorporation of long carbon fibers, as opposed to traditional short fibers, enables more efficient load transfer across the polymer matrix, resulting in enhanced structural integrity and long-term performance under dynamic loading conditions.

Compared to short fiber reinforced alternatives like PPA-CF30, PPA-LCF20 delivers significantly improved tensile strength (~125–140 MPa) and flexural modulus (~9–10 GPa), while maintaining a higher elongation at break (~1.2–2.0%), contributing to better impact absorption and crack resistance. These characteristics make it highly suitable for parts exposed to vibration, mechanical shock, or repeated thermal cycling.

Core Performance Highlights

Mechanical Properties

Carbon Fiber Content: 20% (long carbon fibers for enhanced load transfer)

Tensile Strength: ~125–140 MPa — providing reliable structural performance

Flexural Modulus: ~9–10 GPa — offering strong stiffness while resisting deformation

Elongation at Break: ~1.2–2.0% — greater ductility than short fiber alternatives

Notched Izod Impact: ~70–90 J/m — excellent toughness and impact resistance

The long fiber reinforcement improves fatigue life, crack resistance, and mechanical resilience in demanding applications, especially where repeated load cycles or impact events occur.

Thermal Resistance

Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT): ~260–270 °C

Continuous Use Temperature: Up to 230 °C

With its high thermal stability, PPA-LCF20 maintains its mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, making it ideal for engine compartments, powertrain components, and thermal enclosures in high voltage environments.

Environmental & Chemical Durability

Moisture Absorption: ~0.06–0.10% — low moisture uptake for dimensional accuracy

Chemical Resistance: Excellent — highly resistant to automotive fluids, industrial oils, acids, bases, and cleaning agents

Performs reliably in aggressive environments such as under hood areas or chemical processing equipment, where exposure to moisture, heat, or corrosive substances is common.

Processing & Manufacturing

Molding Method: Injection molding (compatible with long fiber pellet feedstock or pultrusion processes)

Surface Finish: Matte with visible fiber texture — surface aesthetics may reflect fiber orientation

Tooling Requirements: Hardened, abrasion resistant mold steels recommended to withstand fiber induced wear

Processing Notes: Shear sensitive — to preserve fiber length and achieve optimal mechanical properties, careful control of melt flow and gating is essential during molding.

Despite slightly more demanding processing conditions than short fiber compounds, PPA-LCF20 rewards proper manufacturing setups with exceptional part performance and long service life.

Target Applications

Automotive & Mobility

Applications: Crossmembers, battery modules, engine mounts, brackets, and underbody shields
Offers an excellent lightweight alternative to metal in structural and semi structural automotive parts that face heat, vibration, and long term fatigue.

Electronics & Electrical

Applications: EMI/RFI shielding enclosures, motor housings, connector bodies
Maintains strength and dimensional integrity under elevated heat and mechanical stress — ideal for high density power electronics and EV platforms.

Industrial Equipment

Applications: Structural panels, robotic components, actuator housings, pump frames
Combines mechanical strength with resistance to harsh industrial fluids, making it suitable for heavy duty environments where both load bearing and chemical resistance are required.

Performance Summary Table