PVF
also Tedlar
A fluorinated homopolymer processed almost exclusively as thin film, valued for outstanding UV/weathering resistance and low permeability; used as a protective laminate rather than a bulk molding resin.
Reference datasheet — PVF 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.
PVF grades and fills
PVF is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 3 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White TiO₂-pigmented PVF film | Pick for photovoltaic backsheets (TPT/KPK constructions) and painted-metal overlays where opacity, reflectance and 25-year weathering are required. | 40 | 70 | 120 | 81 Shore D |
Flame-retardant aerospace-interior decorative PVF film | Use for cabin sidewall/ceiling laminates needing FAR 25.853 heat-release and smoke-density compliance plus printed decor. | 42 | 70 | 110 | 80 Shore D |
Tensilized / oriented PVF film (high-strength, low-elongation) | Choose when high tensile modulus and dimensional stability during lamination matter more than conformability. | 60 | 120 | 60 | 82 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PVF is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Black | Black pigmented PVF film | Surface finish |
PRIMED | One-side or two-side adhesive-primed PVF film | Surface finish |
FOOD | Food-contact / release-liner PVF film | Certification |
ClearDefault | Clear unpigmented PVF film | Grade option |
What is PVF?
A fluorinated homopolymer processed almost exclusively as thin film, valued for outstanding UV/weathering resistance and low permeability; used as a protective laminate rather than a bulk molding resin. PVF has a density of 1.45 g/cm³ (0.0524 lb/in³), heavier than 86% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 40°C (104 °F). PVF has a yield strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi) and a tensile strength of 90 MPa (13.1 ksi) — weaker than 58% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 2.2 GPa (0.319 Msi).
What is PVF used for?
- Solar panel backsheet film
- Architectural fabric/membrane laminates
- Aircraft interior decorative film
- Weatherable graphic overlaminates
Advantages
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 98/100, better than 99% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- High embodied carbon — 9 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 88% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.45 g/cm³ (0.0524 lb/in³), worse than 86% of polymer grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.15 W/m·K (0.0867 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 80% of polymer grades
PVF properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
PVF has a density of 1.45 g/cm³ (0.0524 lb/in³), heavier than 86% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 40°C (104 °F).
Mechanical6
PVF has a yield strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi) and a tensile strength of 90 MPa (13.1 ksi) — weaker than 58% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 2.2 GPa (0.319 Msi).
Thermal8
PVF is rated for continuous service to 107°C (225 °F). It conducts heat at 0.15 W/m·K (0.0867 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 80% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 50 µm/m·K (27.8 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
PVF is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 140 kV/mm (3,556 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (88/100), better than 74% of polymer grades. UV resistance is excellent.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of PVF takes about 170 MJ of energy and emits 9 kg of CO₂ — more than 86% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability4
PVF's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades); weldability poor (30/100); formability good (65/100).
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. PVF is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PVF
Is PVF easy to machine?
Supplied as thin film — slit, die-cut, laser- or rotary-cut rather than machined; no bulk stock shapes available.
Can PVF be welded?
Melt point sits near the decomposition range, so heat sealing is marginal; join by adhesive lamination to primed film or by hot-melt/EVA lamination.
Can PVF be formed, bent or molded?
Not melt-processable in practice — film is produced by solvent/dispersion casting and extrusion of latent-solvent dopes; end users vacuum-form or emboss it below ~150 °C.
PVF 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 |
|---|---|---|
| TiO2 pigmentonly in white/opaque film grades | 0 – 20 | 0 |
| carbon blackonly in black film grades | 0 – 3 | 0 |
| vinyl fluoride (CH2=CHF) repeat unithomopolymer, ~-CH2-CHF- backbone; fluorine content ~41 wt % | balance |
What surface finishes work on PVF?
Unprimed surface has very low energy (good release, poor bonding); use factory adhesive primer or corona/flame treatment before painting, printing or lamination.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PVF in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Tedlar
How much does PVF cost?
PVF is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PVF — frequently asked
What is PVF used for?
PVF is typically used for solar panel backsheet film, architectural fabric/membrane laminates, aircraft interior decorative film and weatherable graphic overlaminates. In short: best-weathering fluoropolymer film; thin film only, no stock shapes; low-permeability protective laminate.
What is the yield strength of PVF?
PVF has a typical yield strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi) and a tensile strength of 90 MPa (13.1 ksi) — weaker than 58% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is PVF easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades). Supplied as thin film — slit, die-cut, laser- or rotary-cut rather than machined; no bulk stock shapes available.
Can PVF be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). Melt point sits near the decomposition range, so heat sealing is marginal; join by adhesive lamination to primed film or by hot-melt/EVA lamination.
What surface finishes work on PVF?
Unprimed surface has very low energy (good release, poor bonding); use factory adhesive primer or corona/flame treatment before painting, printing or lamination.
Can PVF be formed, bent or molded?
Not melt-processable in practice — film is produced by solvent/dispersion casting and extrusion of latent-solvent dopes; end users vacuum-form or emboss it below ~150 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of PVF?
PVF is rated for continuous use to about 107°C (225 °F), and briefly to 175°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PVF cost?
PVF is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), 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
- Tedlar PVF Film — general properties and PV backsheet data — DuPont (2022)
- Polymer Handbook, 4th ed. (PVF thermal & optical data) — Wiley (1999)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- ASTM D882 / D149 / D2863 (film tensile, dielectric strength, LOI test methods) — ASTM (2019)
- (TPT/KPK) (2025)
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.