Xydar
ISO LCP
Xydar is a wholly aromatic Type I liquid-crystal polymer family from Solvay, originally Amoco/Dartco, available as NEAT resin and in 15-50 % glass, mineral, glass/mineral, carbon, lubricated, ESD, white LED and FDA compounds.
Reference datasheet — Xydar 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 NEAT condition
Xydar grades and fills
Xydar is supplied in 11 conditions, soft to hard. NEAT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 11 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mineral-filled | Pick for very high HDT with isotropic shrinkage, smooth surface and low abrasion of hot-runner tooling. | 90 | 1.5 | 90 Shore D | |
Bearing / wear grade | Use for high-PV bushings, thrust washers and seal faces running hot and dry. | 100 | 1.5 | 88 Shore D | |
Glass + mineral hybrid filled | Best choice when the part must survive lead-free reflow with minimal warpage — highest HDT with balanced shrinkage. | 110 | 1.4 | 92 Shore D | |
High-reflectance white LED-reflector grade | TiO2-pigmented, low-outgassing compound for LED housings that must hold whiteness through reflow and long blue-light exposure. | 110 | 1.5 | 91 Shore D | |
Conductive / ESD grade | Specify for IC trays, burn-in sockets and cleanroom fixtures needing controlled surface resistance at high temperature. | 120 | 1.5 | 89 Shore D | |
NEATDefault Unfilled / natural | Pure LCP resin for thin-wall electrical parts, films and compounding base where maximum toughness and lowest dielectric loss matter. | 130 | 2.5 | 88 Shore D | |
15 % glass-fiber reinforced | Light reinforcement when higher stiffness is needed but flow into very thin walls must be preserved. | 145 | 2.8 | 89 Shore D | |
30 % glass-fiber reinforced | The workhorse connector/SMT grade — best balance of strength, stiffness, HDT and moldability. | 150 | 2 | ||
50 % glass-fiber reinforced | Highest-modulus glass grade for structural, near-metal-replacement parts; flow and surface finish degrade. | 150 | 1.3 | 91 Shore D | |
40 % glass-fiber reinforced | Choose for maximum stiffness and load-bearing high-temperature brackets and coil bobbins. | 155 | 1.6 | 90 Shore D | |
30 % carbon-fiber reinforced | For maximum specific stiffness, low CTE and static-dissipative wafer-handling / semiconductor parts. | 190 | 1.2 | 91 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Xydar is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FDA | Food-contact / medical compliant grade | Certification |
What is Xydar?
Xydar is a wholly aromatic Type I liquid-crystal polymer family from Solvay, originally Amoco/Dartco, available as NEAT resin and in 15-50 % glass, mineral, glass/mineral, carbon, lubricated, ESD, white LED and FDA compounds. It is selected for very high heat deflection temperature and thermal stability at reflow and solder temperatures, mainly for injection-molded electronic and high-temperature parts; the default condition gives 1.4 g/cm3 density, 130 MPa tensile strength, 2.5 % elongation and a machinability score of 55. Melt temperatures of 350-400 C require high-temperature tooling, knit-line strength is near zero and filled grades are abrasive. Vectra or Zenite suit lower processing temperatures. Xydar has a density of 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 135°C (275 °F). Xydar has a tensile strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi), stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 12 GPa (1.74 Msi).
What is Xydar used for?
- surface-mount sockets
- lamp/reflector components
- chemical process valve parts
- aerospace insulators
Advantages
- Stiff — 12 GPa (1.74 Msi), better than 98% of polymer grades
- Low, predictable mold shrinkage — 0.15%, better than 97% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 240°C (464 °F), better than 92% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 92/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.03%, better than 88% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 10 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Limited ductility — 2.5%, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), worse than 79% of polymer grades
Xydar properties
Typical room-temperature values for Xydar-NEAT; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
Xydar has a density of 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 135°C (275 °F).
Mechanical12
Xydar has a tensile strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi), stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 12 GPa (1.74 Msi).
Thermal10
Xydar is rated for continuous service to 240°C (464 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 8 µm/m·K (4.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
Xydar 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 good.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Xydar takes about 220 MJ of energy and emits 10 kg of CO₂ — more than 90% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability7
Xydar's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability poor (25/100); 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. Xydar is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Xydar
Is Xydar easy to machine?
Machinable from extruded stock with sharp PCD/carbide tooling, high speed and light feed, but the fibrillar skin tends to splinter and glass-filled grades are highly abrasive; avoid sharp internal corners.
Can Xydar be welded?
Ultrasonic and vibration welding give weak joints because of the skin-core morphology and near-zero knit-line strength; laser welding, heat staking with generous bosses or high-temperature adhesives are preferred.
Can Xydar be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 350–400 °C melt with 80–150 °C tools; extremely low melt viscosity fills 0.2 mm walls but demands tight tool venting, minimal clearances to prevent flash, and gate placement that avoids weld lines; dry 3–4 h at 150 °C before molding.
Xydar 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) unitsprimary mesogenic monomer of Type I wholly aromatic polyester | 50 – 80 | 60 |
| 4,4'-biphenol units | 10 – 25 | 20 |
| terephthalic acid unitsmay be partly replaced by isophthalic acid to tune Tm | 10 – 25 | 20 |
| glass fiber0 % in unfilled default grade; 15–50 % in reinforced grades | 0 – 50 | 0 |
| mineral filler (talc/mica/wollastonite)used in MG / hybrid grades for isotropic shrinkage | 0 – 45 | 0 |
What surface finishes work on Xydar?
Molded surface is a self-skinned, low-friction finish; parts accept laser marking and vacuum metallization or LDS/plating on selected compounds, but paint and adhesive bonding need plasma or chemical pretreatment.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Xydar in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- LCP
How much does Xydar cost?
Xydar 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.
Xydar — frequently asked
What is Xydar used for?
Xydar is typically used for surface-mount sockets, lamp/reflector components, chemical process valve parts and aerospace insulators. In short: highest-heat LCP family; type I wholly aromatic resin; reflow-stable thin-wall parts.
What is the tensile strength of Xydar?
Xydar has a typical tensile strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi) — stronger than 94% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 11 listed tempers.
Is Xydar easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Machinable from extruded stock with sharp PCD/carbide tooling, high speed and light feed, but the fibrillar skin tends to splinter and glass-filled grades are highly abrasive; avoid sharp internal corners.
Can Xydar be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Ultrasonic and vibration welding give weak joints because of the skin-core morphology and near-zero knit-line strength; laser welding, heat staking with generous bosses or high-temperature adhesives are preferred.
What surface finishes work on Xydar?
Molded surface is a self-skinned, low-friction finish; parts accept laser marking and vacuum metallization or LDS/plating on selected compounds, but paint and adhesive bonding need plasma or chemical pretreatment.
Can Xydar be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 350–400 °C melt with 80–150 °C tools; extremely low melt viscosity fills 0.2 mm walls but demands tight tool venting, minimal clearances to prevent flash, and gate placement that avoids weld lines; dry 3–4 h at 150 °C before molding.
What is the maximum service temperature of Xydar?
Xydar is rated for continuous use to about 240°C (464 °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 Xydar cost?
Xydar 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
- Xydar LCP product and processing data sheets — Solvay Specialty Polymers (2022)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — Liquid Crystal Polymers — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector LCP grade data — CAMPUS Consortium / UL (2023)
- ISO 527, ISO 178, ISO 75, UL 94, IEC 60243 test methods — ISO / UL / IEC (2021)
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.