PP-GF30
PP compounded with 10-40% chopped glass fiber to substantially raise stiffness, creep resistance and dimensional stability, used as a cost-effective substitute for engineering thermoplastics or die-cast metal in structural parts.
Reference datasheet — PP-GF30 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 GF30 condition
PP-GF30 grades and fills
PP-GF30 is supplied in 13 conditions, soft to hard. GF30 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 13 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10% chopped glass fiber, coupled | Lowest-cost stiffening step when only modest modulus/HDT gain and good ductility are needed. | 43 | 6 | ||
30% glass fiber, uncoupled | Cheap stiffening filler grade for non-structural parts where fiber/matrix adhesion is not critical. | 55 | 55 | 2.5 | 77 Shore D |
20% chopped glass fiber, coupled | Balanced compromise of stiffness, toughness and low warpage for housings and covers. | 68 | 4 | ||
Impact-modified / copolymer-matrix 30% GF | Use when cold-temperature ductility and drop impact matter more than peak stiffness. | 70 | 70 | 5 | 76 Shore D |
GF30-FR V-0 | Pick for electrical enclosures and appliance parts requiring UL 94 V-0; accepts lower toughness and higher density. | 72 | 72 | 2.2 | 80 Shore D |
Recyclate-based (PCR/regrind) 30% GF compound | Cost- and CO2-reduced compound from post-industrial/post-consumer PP; expect wider property scatter and darker color only. | 72 | 72 | 2.5 | 78 Shore D |
Conductive / ESD glass-fiber PP | For static-dissipative housings, fuel-system and material-handling parts needing controlled surface resistance. | 78 | 78 | 2.2 | 80 Shore D |
UV / weather-stabilized 30% GF | HALS/UV-absorber package for outdoor parts such as garden equipment, meter boxes and roof fixtures. | 84 | 84 | 3 | 80 Shore D |
GF30Default 30% chopped glass fiber, maleic-anhydride coupled | The workhorse structural GF-PP: best strength/stiffness per cost for pump housings, fan shrouds and brackets. | 85 | 3 | ||
Heat-stabilized (long-term thermal aging) 30% GF | Phenolic/phosphite + metal-deactivator package for 130 °C continuous under-hood and appliance service. | 85 | 85 | 3 | 80 Shore D |
40% chopped glass fiber, coupled | Maximum practical short-fiber stiffness for load-bearing brackets and metal-replacement parts. | 105 | 2.3 | ||
30% long glass fiber | Choose for structural parts needing high notched impact, creep and fatigue performance at low temperature. | 105 | 2.8 | ||
50% chopped glass fiber, coupled | Specialty high-modulus compound where deflection, not toughness or surface, governs. | 118 | 1.8 |
What is PP-GF30?
PP compounded with 10-40% chopped glass fiber to substantially raise stiffness, creep resistance and dimensional stability, used as a cost-effective substitute for engineering thermoplastics or die-cast metal in structural parts. PP-GF30 has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -8°C (18 °F). PP-GF30 has a yield strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) — stronger than 90% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 6 GPa (0.87 Msi).
What is PP-GF30 used for?
- Automotive under-hood brackets
- Structural housings
- Battery trays
- Furniture components
- Load-bearing enclosures
Advantages
- High strength — 85 MPa (12.3 ksi), better than 90% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 6 GPa (0.87 Msi), better than 89% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 89% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 90/100, better than 82% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.06%, better than 82% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 83% of polymer grades
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 79% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 25/100, worse than 76% of polymer grades
PP-GF30 properties
Typical room-temperature values for PP-GF30-GF30; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
PP-GF30 has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -8°C (18 °F).
Mechanical13
PP-GF30 has a yield strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) — stronger than 90% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 6 GPa (0.87 Msi).
Thermal11
PP-GF30 is rated for continuous service to 115°C (239 °F). It conducts heat at 0.27 W/m·K (0.156 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 78% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 30 µm/m·K (16.7 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PP-GF30 is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm (711.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (90/100), better than 82% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PP-GF30 takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 2.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 85% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability8
PP-GF30's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability poor (15/100).
Common Calculations5
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. PP-GF30 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PP-GF30
Is PP-GF30 easy to machine?
Machines easily but glass fibers are highly abrasive — use carbide or PCD tooling, sharp positive rake, high speed and low feed; keep parts cool to avoid smearing.
Can PP-GF30 be welded?
Ultrasonic, vibration, hot-plate and IR welding all work; joint strength is limited to roughly matrix strength (~40–60% of base) because fibers do not cross the weld, and adhesive bonding requires flame/plasma pretreatment.
Can PP-GF30 be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 225–260 °C melt and 40–90 °C tool with generous gates and low shear to preserve fiber length; anisotropic shrinkage (0.2–0.6% flow vs 0.8–1.2% transverse) makes gate placement and rib design the key warpage controls.
PP-GF30 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 |
|---|---|---|
| glass fiberchopped E-glass, 10–14 µm, silane sized | 28 – 32 | 30 |
| maleic-anhydride-grafted PP (coupling agomitted in uncoupled grades | 0.8 – 3 | 1.5 |
| heat/process stabilizers, antioxidantshindered phenol + phosphite | 0.2 – 0.8 | 0.4 |
| pigment / carbon blackcolor and UV screening | 0 – 1.5 | 0.3 |
| polypropylene (homo/copolymer)matrix resin, MFR 10–100 base | ≥ 66 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PP-GF30?
Not paintable or platable without flame/plasma or corona treatment plus adhesion promoter; textured tool surfaces or a low-fiber skin layer hide glass read-through better than gloss finishes.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PP-GF30 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- PP+GF30
How much does PP-GF30 cost?
PP-GF30 is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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.
PP-GF30 — frequently asked
What is PP-GF30 used for?
PP-GF30 is typically used for automotive under-hood brackets, structural housings, battery trays, furniture components and load-bearing enclosures. In short: stiffest cost-effective PP; metal-replacement PP grade; abrasive to tooling.
What is the yield strength of PP-GF30?
PP-GF30 has a typical yield strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 85 MPa (12.3 ksi) — stronger than 90% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 13 listed tempers.
Is PP-GF30 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades). Machines easily but glass fibers are highly abrasive — use carbide or PCD tooling, sharp positive rake, high speed and low feed; keep parts cool to avoid smearing.
Can PP-GF30 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). Ultrasonic, vibration, hot-plate and IR welding all work; joint strength is limited to roughly matrix strength (~40–60% of base) because fibers do not cross the weld, and adhesive bonding requires flame/plasma pretreatment.
What surface finishes work on PP-GF30?
Not paintable or platable without flame/plasma or corona treatment plus adhesion promoter; textured tool surfaces or a low-fiber skin layer hide glass read-through better than gloss finishes.
Can PP-GF30 be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 225–260 °C melt and 40–90 °C tool with generous gates and low shear to preserve fiber length; anisotropic shrinkage (0.2–0.6% flow vs 0.8–1.2% transverse) makes gate placement and rib design the key warpage controls.
What is the maximum service temperature of PP-GF30?
PP-GF30 is rated for continuous use to about 115°C (239 °F), and briefly to 145°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between PP-GF30 GF30 and PP-GF30 GF30-UC?
GF30 is the default condition — the workhorse structural GF-PP: best strength/stiffness per cost for pump housings, fan shrouds and brackets. GF30-UC: cheap stiffening filler grade for non-structural parts where fiber/matrix adhesion is not critical. Yield strength is 85 MPa in GF30 versus 55 MPa in GF30-UC.
How much does PP-GF30 cost?
PP-GF30 is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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
- ISO 1873-1 / ISO 1874 designation system for PP moulding materials — ISO (2016)
- ASTM D4101 Standard Classification for Polypropylene Injection and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics database — glass-fibre reinforced PP compounds — CWFG/CAMPUS (2024)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Glass-fibre reinforced polypropylene compound datasheets (Borealis Fibremod, SABIC STAMAX, Celanese/Celstran, LyondellBasell Hostacom) — various producers (2024)
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.