Acrylic Polyvinyl Chloride
Kydex is often used as an alternative to leather. From acrylic it obtains great rigidity and formability and from PVC great toughness, chemical resistance and a nice finish. Kydex has great flame retardancy, and is scratch and gouging resistant and there are even UV grades available. Kydex can be vacuum formed, machined and fabricated and comes in a wide variety of colours.
Applications
Kydex is used particularly in environments where standards compliance is necessary. For example Kydex comes in aircraft grades making it suitable for planes and other aerial vehicles because the material has been tested for fire retardancy. But other applications can include interior and exterior wall cladding. The expense of kydex is not really due to its material cost but the cost of standards compliance and typically low manufacturing volumes. Kydex can be used in a range of speciality products including vinyls for recreational vehicles, wall tiles and also knife and gun sheaths.
Colours shown above are just representations of a particular colour and aren’t necessarily the finished plastic colour. Lighting conditions, monitor calibration and variances in the plastic colour processing can impact the colour of a given material.
|
Thickness
|
Ava.
|
Thickness
|
Ava.
|
Thickness
|
Ava.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.5MM
|
4.5MM
|
 |
18MM
|
||
|
1MM
|
|
6MM
|
20MM
|
||
|
1.5MM
|
|
8MM
|
25MM
|
||
|
2MM
|
|
10MM
|
30MM
|
||
|
3MM
|
|
12MM
|
40MM
|
||
|
4MM
|
15MM
|
Please note that different materials have varying tolerances when it comes to thickness. A product should facilitate material variances +-0.2mm
|
Property
|
Value
|
Unit
|
|---|---|---|
|
Mechanical
|
||
|
Tensile Strength
|
42
|
MPa
|
|
Flexural Strength
|
2758
|
MPa
|
|
Shear Strength
|
31
|
MPa
|
|
Impact Strength
|
1.07
|
J/m
|
|
Hardness
|
94R
|
M or R
|
|
Thermal
|
||
|
Working Temperature
|
71
|
°C
|
|
Vacuum Forming Temperature
|
177
|
°C
|
|
Thermal Expansion
|
8.3
|
10^-5/°C
|
|
Vicat Softening Temperature
|
93
|
°C
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
||
|
Specific Gravity
|
1.35
|
g/cm³
|
|
Water Absorption
|
0.06-0.15
|
% in 24 hr
|
|
Light Transmission
|
85
|
%
|
|
Dielectric Strength
|
429
|
Volts/Mil
|
|
Surface Energy
|
36-40
|
Dynes/cm
|
The information in the above data table is provided for educational purposes only in good faith and should only be used as a guide. As sheet material comes in a wide variety of grades, colours, textures and can contain different chemical properties, the figures only represent a typical insight into the specifications of the material. Information has been collated from a variety of sources. For more information on these figures and other properties please contact us.