LCP Type I
ASTM D6779 · ISO LCP
Wholly aromatic (hydroxybenzoic acid based) LCP with the highest melting point (~350-400°C) and thermal/mechanical performance of the LCP family; used where extreme heat resistance and dimensional stability are required.
Reference datasheet — LCP Type I is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the UF condition
LCP Type I grades and fills
LCP Type I is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. UF is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 10 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mineral (talc/mica) filled | Choose for low warpage, more isotropic shrinkage and smooth surfaces where fibre read-through is unacceptable. | 100 | 1.8 | ||
Wear/bearing grade | Internally lubricated compound for unlubricated bushings, thrust washers and seals running hot. | 100 | 1.5 | 86 Shore D | |
glass + mineral hybrid filled | Balanced compromise: near-GF stiffness with reduced anisotropy and better dimensional stability on large flat parts. | 120 | 1.6 | 90 Shore D | |
ESD / conductive compound | Static-dissipative Type I for IC trays, test sockets and semiconductor tooling. | 120 | 1.4 | 89 Shore D | |
Laser direct structuring grade | Contains a laser-activatable additive so plated circuit traces can be written directly on the molded part (antennas, MIDs). | 130 | 1.5 | 90 Shore D | |
UFDefault Unfilled / natural | Neat Type I resin for thin-wall electrical parts, film/fibre and where maximum flow and dielectric purity matter. | 135 | 2.5 | ||
15 % glass fibre reinforced | Light reinforcement when extra stiffness and HDT are needed but thin-wall flow must stay high. | 145 | 2.2 | ||
30 % glass fibre reinforced | The workhorse Type I grade: high HDT (>300 °C) and stiffness for connectors, sockets and reflow-exposed housings. | 150 | 1.8 | ||
40 % glass fibre reinforced | Maximum stiffness/HDT structural grade for pumps, valve bodies and heat-exposed brackets. | 155 | 1.4 | ||
30 % carbon fibre reinforced | Highest specific stiffness plus static-dissipative behaviour and better heat transfer for wafer handling and precision parts. | 190 | 1.2 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways LCP Type I is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
MED | Medical / food-contact compliant grade | Certification |
What is LCP Type I?
Wholly aromatic (hydroxybenzoic acid based) LCP with the highest melting point (~350-400°C) and thermal/mechanical performance of the LCP family; used where extreme heat resistance and dimensional stability are required. LCP Type I has a density of 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), heavier than 77% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 145°C (293 °F). LCP Type I has a tensile strength of 135 MPa (19.6 ksi), stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi).
What is LCP Type I used for?
- SMT reflow connectors
- aerospace brackets
- high-temp electrical insulators
- semiconductor process components
Advantages
- Low, predictable mold shrinkage — 0.1%, better than 99% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 11 GPa (1.6 Msi), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.02%, better than 92% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 92/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 220°C (428 °F), better than 89% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 2.5%, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- High embodied carbon — 9 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 88% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), worse than 77% of polymer grades
LCP Type I properties
Typical room-temperature values for LCP Type I-UF; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
LCP Type I has a density of 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), heavier than 77% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 145°C (293 °F).
Mechanical13
LCP Type I has a tensile strength of 135 MPa (19.6 ksi), stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi).
Thermal10
LCP Type I is rated for continuous service to 220°C (428 °F). It conducts heat at 0.3 W/m·K (0.173 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 8 µm/m·K (4.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
LCP Type I is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 35 kV/mm (889 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹³ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 91% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of LCP Type I takes about 250 MJ of energy and emits 9 kg of CO₂ — more than 92% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability7
LCP Type I's machinability is good (62/100, better than 60% of polymer grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (20/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. LCP Type I is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with LCP Type I
Is LCP Type I easy to machine?
Machines easily with sharp carbide/PCD tooling but edges fibrillate and skin peels — use high speed, light feeds, and expect glass/carbon-filled grades to wear tooling fast.
Can LCP Type I be welded?
Not solvent- or hot-plate weldable in practice; use laser or ultrasonic welding with energy directors, or design mechanical/insert-molded joints, and always keep knit lines out of load paths.
Can LCP Type I be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 355–410 °C melt with 60–180 °C tools, corrosion-resistant screws/barrel, fast fill and thin runners; dry 3–4 h at 150 °C and design gates to control the strong flow-direction anisotropy.
LCP Type I chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) unitsmol% of repeat units; rigid-rod backbone | 50 – 80 | 67 |
| 4,4'-biphenol unitsmol% | 10 – 25 | 16.5 |
| terephthalic acid unitsmol% | 10 – 25 | 16.5 |
| glass fiber0 in unfilled default; 15–40 wt% in reinforced variants | ≈ 0 | 0 |
| mineral filler / pigment0–35 wt% depending on variant | ≈ 0 | 0 |
What surface finishes work on LCP Type I?
Low surface energy makes painting/adhesive bonding poor without plasma or corona pre-treatment; parts are normally used as-molded, with laser marking or LDS plating where markings/traces are needed.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to LCP Type I in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- D6779
- ISO
- LCP
How much does LCP Type I cost?
LCP Type I is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
LCP Type I — frequently asked
What is LCP Type I used for?
LCP Type I is typically used for SMT reflow connectors, aerospace brackets, high-temp electrical insulators and semiconductor process components. In short: highest-temperature LCP; reflow-capable thin-wall resin; extreme dimensional stability.
What is the tensile strength of LCP Type I?
LCP Type I has a typical tensile strength of 135 MPa (19.6 ksi) — stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is LCP Type I easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (62/100, better than 60% of polymer grades). Machines easily with sharp carbide/PCD tooling but edges fibrillate and skin peels — use high speed, light feeds, and expect glass/carbon-filled grades to wear tooling fast.
Can LCP Type I be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Not solvent- or hot-plate weldable in practice; use laser or ultrasonic welding with energy directors, or design mechanical/insert-molded joints, and always keep knit lines out of load paths.
What surface finishes work on LCP Type I?
Low surface energy makes painting/adhesive bonding poor without plasma or corona pre-treatment; parts are normally used as-molded, with laser marking or LDS plating where markings/traces are needed.
Can LCP Type I be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 355–410 °C melt with 60–180 °C tools, corrosion-resistant screws/barrel, fast fill and thin runners; dry 3–4 h at 150 °C and design gates to control the strong flow-direction anisotropy.
What is the maximum service temperature of LCP Type I?
LCP Type I is rated for continuous use to about 220°C (428 °F), and briefly to 300°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does LCP Type I cost?
LCP Type I is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM D6779 Standard Classification System for Liquid Crystal Polymer Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2022)
- Xydar LCP product and processing data — Solvay Specialty Polymers (2023)
- Sumikasuper LCP grade list — Sumitomo Chemical (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics ISO datasheets — LCP — CAMPUS / CWFG (2024)
- Handbook of Thermoplastics — liquid crystal polymers chapter — CRC Press (2016)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.