Zenite
ISO LCP
Zenite is a liquid-crystal polymer family originally developed by DuPont and now supplied by Celanese, covering unfilled (UF), glass, mineral and carbon reinforced, high-heat, lubricated and ESD grades.
Reference datasheet — Zenite 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
Zenite grades and fills
Zenite is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. UF is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mineral / mineral+glass filled | Choose when flatness, isotropic shrinkage or a smooth plateable/laser-markable surface matters more than peak strength. | 110 | 1.5 | ||
Wear / lubricated grade | Bearing and sliding parts at high PV and high temperature where a low, stable friction coefficient is needed. | 110 | 1.5 | 86 Shore D | |
ESD / conductive | Static-dissipative trays, carriers and burn-in sockets where surface resistivity must sit in the 10^4–10^9 Ω range. | 130 | 1.5 | 89 Shore D | |
High-heat series, glass reinforced | Higher-Tm LCP for lead-free reflow at 260–290 °C, blister-free thin walls and continuous use near 250 °C. | 145 | 1.6 | ||
30 % glass-fiber reinforced | The workhorse connector grade: higher stiffness and HDT with acceptable flow for 0.3–0.5 mm walls and IR/vapour-phase reflow. | 150 | 1.8 | ||
40 % glass-fiber reinforced | Maximum stiffness/HDT injection grade for larger structural connectors and parts loaded at 200 °C+. | 160 | 1.5 | ||
UFDefault Unfilled / Natural | Pick for the thinnest walls, best flow and highest ductility/impact, or where fiber wash and abrasion of tooling must be avoided. | 165 | 3.5 | ||
Carbon-fiber reinforced | For maximum specific stiffness, low CTE and semi-conductive/EMI-shielding parts; darker colour only. | 190 | 1.3 |
What is Zenite?
Zenite is a liquid-crystal polymer family originally developed by DuPont and now supplied by Celanese, covering unfilled (UF), glass, mineral and carbon reinforced, high-heat, lubricated and ESD grades. It is positioned as a chemically resistant, low-warpage alternative to Vectra for connectors and thin-wall molding, with 1.4 g/cm3 density, 165 MPa tensile strength, 3.5 % elongation, 11 GPa modulus, 220 C maximum service temperature and a machinability score of 55. Knit lines are the structural weak point and painting or plating adhesion is poor without pretreatment; parts are normally molded net-shape rather than machined. Zenite has a density of 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 125°C (257 °F). Zenite has a tensile strength of 165 MPa (23.9 ksi), stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3.5% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi).
What is Zenite used for?
- automotive electrical connectors
- LED reflectors
- fiber optic ferrules
- microwave/RF 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 — 3.5%, worse than 79% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), worse than 79% of polymer grades
- High embodied carbon — 7 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 77% of polymer grades
Zenite properties
Typical room-temperature values for Zenite-UF; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
Zenite has a density of 1.4 g/cm³ (0.0506 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 125°C (257 °F).
Mechanical12
Zenite has a tensile strength of 165 MPa (23.9 ksi), stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3.5% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi).
Thermal10
Zenite 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 5 µm/m·K (2.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
Zenite 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 Zenite takes about 145 MJ of energy and emits 7 kg of CO₂ — more than 83% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability7
Zenite's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability poor (30/100); 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. Zenite is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Zenite
Is Zenite easy to machine?
Machinable with sharp carbide/PCD tools and light feeds, but the skin fibrillates and edges fuzz; parts are normally molded net-shape rather than cut from stock.
Can Zenite be welded?
Weld/knit lines are the weak point — ultrasonic and vibration welding give low strength; prefer laser welding, adhesive-free snap fits or overmolding and place gates to avoid knit lines in loaded areas.
Can Zenite be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 4 h at 150 °C, melt 330–360 °C (high-heat series 355–390 °C), mold 60–140 °C, fast injection with generous venting; near-zero shrinkage and no hold-pressure sensitivity, but design for anisotropy and avoid thick-to-thin flow reversals.
Zenite 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) unitsrigid aromatic ester backbone unit | 45 – 80 | 60 |
| 4,4'-biphenol / hydroquinone unitsaromatic diol comonomer | 10 – 28 | 20 |
| terephthalic / isophthalic acid unitsaromatic diacid comonomer, ratio sets Tm | 10 – 28 | 20 |
| glass fiber0 % in default variant; 30–40 % in GF grades | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| mineral filler (talc/mica/wollastonite)low-warpage grades only | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| wholly aromatic polyester (LCP) matrixunfilled default grade; filled variants replace 30–50 wt % with glass, mineral or carbon | balance |
What surface finishes work on Zenite?
Takes laser marking well; adhesion for painting/plating is poor without plasma or chemical etch — use mineral-filled or LDS-capable grades where metallization is required.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Zenite in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- LCP
How much does Zenite cost?
Zenite is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Zenite — frequently asked
What is Zenite used for?
Zenite is typically used for automotive electrical connectors, LED reflectors, fiber optic ferrules and microwave/RF components. In short: low-warpage connector LCP; 220 C service temperature; chemically resistant LCP grade.
What is the tensile strength of Zenite?
Zenite has a typical tensile strength of 165 MPa (23.9 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is Zenite easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Machinable with sharp carbide/PCD tools and light feeds, but the skin fibrillates and edges fuzz; parts are normally molded net-shape rather than cut from stock.
Can Zenite be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). Weld/knit lines are the weak point — ultrasonic and vibration welding give low strength; prefer laser welding, adhesive-free snap fits or overmolding and place gates to avoid knit lines in loaded areas.
What surface finishes work on Zenite?
Takes laser marking well; adhesion for painting/plating is poor without plasma or chemical etch — use mineral-filled or LDS-capable grades where metallization is required.
Can Zenite be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 4 h at 150 °C, melt 330–360 °C (high-heat series 355–390 °C), mold 60–140 °C, fast injection with generous venting; near-zero shrinkage and no hold-pressure sensitivity, but design for anisotropy and avoid thick-to-thin flow reversals.
What is the maximum service temperature of Zenite?
Zenite is rated for continuous use to about 220°C (428 °F), and briefly to 280°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Zenite cost?
Zenite is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), 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
- Zenite LCP product and molding guide — DuPont / Celanese (2021)
- Vectra / Zenite LCP short-term property tables — Celanese (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics ISO datasheets — liquid crystal polymer — CAMPUS (2023)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- ISO 527 / ISO 178 / ISO 75 / ASTM D256 test methods — ISO / ASTM (2019)
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.