PTFE-Bronze40
A bronze-powder-filled PTFE compound with high thermal conductivity, load capacity and wear resistance for demanding bearing and seal applications, but reduced chemical/dielectric performance versus unfilled PTFE.
Reference datasheet — PTFE-Bronze40 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 BZ40 condition
PTFE-Bronze40 grades and fills
PTFE-Bronze40 is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. BZ40 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTFE + bronze + graphite (typ. 40% bronze / 5% graphite) | Choose for high sliding speed and water/steam service where a lower friction coefficient than plain bronze-filled is needed. | 10 | 13 | 120 | 63 Shore D |
PTFE + 55% bronze + 5% molybdenum disulphide | Use where dry-running start-up friction and stick-slip must be minimised on steel counterfaces. | 10 | 12 | 90 | 68 Shore D |
BZ40Default PTFE + 40 wt% bronze | Standard bronze-filled bearing/seal compound: best balance of load capacity, wear life and machinability. | 11 | 16 | 150 | 65 Shore D |
PTFE + 60 wt% bronze | Pick for maximum PV, minimum creep and best heat removal in hydraulic piston rings and heavy-duty bushings. | 13 | 100 | 68 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PTFE-Bronze40 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
MOLD | Compression-moulded billet / sheet | Surface finish |
RAM-EXT | Ram-extruded rod / tube | Surface finish |
What is PTFE-Bronze40?
A bronze-powder-filled PTFE compound with high thermal conductivity, load capacity and wear resistance for demanding bearing and seal applications, but reduced chemical/dielectric performance versus unfilled PTFE. PTFE-Bronze40 has a density of 3.1 g/cm³ (0.112 lb/in³), heavier than 100% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -97°C (-143 °F). PTFE-Bronze40 has a yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 1.1 GPa (0.16 Msi).
What is PTFE-Bronze40 used for?
- High-load thrust washers and bearings
- Hydraulic rod/piston seals
- Wear rings in hydraulic cylinders
- Guide rings
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 95/100, better than 95% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), better than 94% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.04%, better than 86% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 3.1 g/cm³ (0.112 lb/in³), worse than 100% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2.2%, worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
PTFE-Bronze40 properties
Typical room-temperature values for PTFE-Bronze40-BZ40; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical4
PTFE-Bronze40 has a density of 3.1 g/cm³ (0.112 lb/in³), heavier than 100% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -97°C (-143 °F).
Mechanical15
PTFE-Bronze40 has a yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 1.1 GPa (0.16 Msi).
Thermal10
PTFE-Bronze40 is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 90 µm/m·K (50 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
PTFE-Bronze40 has an electrical resistivity of 10,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is excellent.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of PTFE-Bronze40 takes about 145 MJ of energy and emits 7 kg of CO₂ — more than 83% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability6
PTFE-Bronze40's machinability is very good (70/100, better than 74% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); 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. PTFE-Bronze40 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PTFE-Bronze40
Is PTFE-Bronze40 easy to machine?
Turns and mills easily with very sharp, positive-rake carbide or PCD tools; the bronze filler is abrasive so HSS dulls fast — use high speed, light cuts, and support thin walls against cold flow and thermal growth.
Can PTFE-Bronze40 be welded?
Not weldable or solvent-bondable; joints must be mechanical (clamped, retained rings) or use etched-surface adhesive bonding with sodium-naphthalene/plasma treatment.
Can PTFE-Bronze40 be formed, bent or molded?
Not melt-processable — cold-pressed and free-sintered at ~370–380 °C with slow cooling; ram extrusion is used for rod/tube, and rings are skived or moulded to near-net shape.
PTFE-Bronze40 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 |
|---|---|---|
| bronze powder (CuSn10 / CuSn10Zn)atomised or irregular bronze; ~15 vol% of the compound | 38 – 42 | 40 |
| PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)suspension-polymerised moulding powder | ≥ 58 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PTFE-Bronze40?
No plating or painting; finish by fine turning/burnishing, and run in against a hard (≥45 HRC) counterface polished to Ra 0.2–0.4 µm to build the transfer film.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PTFE-Bronze40 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- PTFE + 40% Bronze
How much does PTFE-Bronze40 cost?
PTFE-Bronze40 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.
PTFE-Bronze40 — frequently asked
What is PTFE-Bronze40 used for?
PTFE-Bronze40 is typically used for high-load thrust washers and bearings, hydraulic rod/piston seals, wear rings in hydraulic cylinders and guide rings. In short: highest load-capacity PTFE; most thermally conductive PTFE; abrasive; needs carbide tooling.
What is the yield strength of PTFE-Bronze40?
PTFE-Bronze40 has a typical yield strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 16 MPa (2.32 ksi) — weaker than 89% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is PTFE-Bronze40 easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, better than 74% of polymer grades). Turns and mills easily with very sharp, positive-rake carbide or PCD tools; the bronze filler is abrasive so HSS dulls fast — use high speed, light cuts, and support thin walls against cold flow and thermal growth.
Can PTFE-Bronze40 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Not weldable or solvent-bondable; joints must be mechanical (clamped, retained rings) or use etched-surface adhesive bonding with sodium-naphthalene/plasma treatment.
What surface finishes work on PTFE-Bronze40?
No plating or painting; finish by fine turning/burnishing, and run in against a hard (≥45 HRC) counterface polished to Ra 0.2–0.4 µm to build the transfer film.
Can PTFE-Bronze40 be formed, bent or molded?
Not melt-processable — cold-pressed and free-sintered at ~370–380 °C with slow cooling; ram extrusion is used for rod/tube, and rings are skived or moulded to near-net shape.
What is the maximum service temperature of PTFE-Bronze40?
PTFE-Bronze40 is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F), and briefly to 300°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between PTFE-Bronze40 BZ40 and PTFE-Bronze40 BZ-GR?
BZ40 is the default condition — standard bronze-filled bearing/seal compound: best balance of load capacity, wear life and machinability. BZ-GR: choose for high sliding speed and water/steam service where a lower friction coefficient than plain bronze-filled is needed. Yield strength is 11 MPa in BZ40 versus 10 MPa in BZ-GR.
How much does PTFE-Bronze40 cost?
PTFE-Bronze40 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 D4745 — Filled Compounds of PTFE Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2021)
- ASTM D4894 / D4895 — PTFE Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2022)
- TECAFLON PTFE filled compounds (bronze, glass, carbon) — Ensinger (2023)
- Filled PTFE compound property tables — Fluorocarbon / Zeus Industrial Products (2022)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
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.