Polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF, is a cost-competitive and high-performing polymer. PVDF’s inherent purity and extreme hardness make this material ideal for a variety of applications requiring exposure to extreme conditions. PVDF can be used over a wide temperature range and shows excellent abrasion resistance and very low permeability.
PVDF is melt-processable, and its alternating CH2 and CF2 groups result in a polymer with high chemical resistance; it is inert to most aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, acids, chlorinated solvents, and alcohols. PVDF’s chemical resistance likewise carries over to its combustion: PVDF is highly flame-resistant and is categorized as a self-extinguishing material. PVDF’s UL 94 V-0 rating means that even if the material ignites, it will burn no more than 10 seconds with no flaming or drips.
PVDF is resistant to UV and gamma radiation, enabling it to tolerate extended exposure to sunlight. PVDF exhibits excellent resistance to creep, fatigue, and cut-through and maintains its dielectric strength of up to 1700 volts/mil throughout its wide service temperature range. PVDF is melt-weldable and thermoformable.
PVDF tubing (also known as Kynar®) is used in many industries such as aerospace, oil and gas exploration, automotive, electronics, semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, fiber optics, and medical. In addition to its good performance-to-cost ratio, PVDF’s physical properties have made it a popular choice for applications requiring flexibility without sacrificing performance.
Zeus can fashion PVDF into an array of profiles to suit the precise requirements of your application. Contact our team or call toll-free in the US 1-800-526-3842 or +1-803-268-9500 internationally today.
Note: The information in the Zeus website, catalog, and other sources presents and discusses generally accepted properties for non-pigmented virgin polymer resins from which Zeus fabricates its line of extruded products. Actual properties may change due to processing method, resin grade, extruded dimensions, and other variables. It is the end user’s responsibility to fully evaluate and test the fitness of the product for their specific application.
Barrier Layers – PVDF’s broad-spectrum chemical resistance is a perfect match for use as flexible liners and barrier layers for chemical holding tanks. PVDF’s mechanical properties help ensure these liners resist tearing and cracking.
Critical Fluid Transfer – PVDF’s resistance to strong acids, hydrocarbons and other corrosives, broad working temperature, and UV resistance allow this tubing to be used just about anywhere, including outdoors. PVDF’s low permeability means that this tubing is equally effective in carrying gases and liquids; its purity makes PVDF tubing a good choice for pharmaceutical, biomedical, analytical applications, pure water systems, and groundwater monitoring.
Furcation Tubing – Also known as jacketing, this tubing application is commonly used in fiber optics to protect these fragile transmission devices from physical damage. PVDF tubing can easily be slid over fiber optics without damaging them. PVDF’s broad operating temperature range allows it to perform in hot and cold environments. In multi-lumen form, this tubing allows multiple channels of fiber optics to be contained in a single outside diameter.
Custom Fiber Optic Coating – PVDF can be supplied as a specialty coating to protect delicate fiber optics from abrasion and challenging chemical environments, such as in the oil and gas industry. Coated fiber optics gain mechanical strength as well as protection from UV exposure in outdoor use.
Custom Profiles – At Zeus, we excel in producing tight-tolerance custom profiles and special shapes for our extruded products. We offer PVDF tubing in customized extruded profiles, including engineered surface tubing, splines, and other unique shapes. Engineered surfaces can be applied to the inner, outer, or both diameters of the tubing.
Extruded Tubing – PVDF tubing can be used to protect its contents from chemical contaminants and mechanical stresses while also providing insulation for electrical uses. PVDF’s advanced mechanical, physical, and chemical properties make this polymer an excellent tubing option for industries that rely on these criteria.
Fiber – UV-resistant, mechanically tough, and abrasion-resistant, PVDF drawn fiber is an excellent material with robust properties at a competitive cost.
Fillers – PVDF is available with a number of fillers to customize your product further for your specific application. For example, carbon fillers increase the resin’s electrical dissipation; barium and bismuth provide radiopacity for catheters and other medical devices; and pigments add color. Additional fillers are available by request.
Multi-Lumen – Zeus multi-lumen tubing contains numerous lumens, or “passages,” creating multiple working channels that run the length of the tubing. These channels allow multiple instruments, wires, fibers, or fluids to be passed through the tube but contained within a single outside diameter tubing. Multi-lumen tubing is widely used in medical devices such as catheters, electronic devices, and fluid handling applications. Our multi-lumen tubing is made with tight tolerances and to the highest quality standards.
Abrasion Resistance – PVDF’s excellent hardness imparts excellent abrasion resistance to this tubing and minimizes the effects of wear.
Biocompatibility – PVDF has a proven history of use within medical devices. For more information on PVDF’s biocompatibility, contact us today.
Broad Working Temperature Range – PVDF has a broad service temperature range covering most ordinary working temperature environments.
Chemical Resistance – PVDF tubing is nearly inert to most commonly encountered hydrocarbons, acids, alcohols, and chlorinated solvents; this quality makes PVDF tubing an excellent choice for almost any chemical environment.
Excellent Dielectric Properties – The exceptional dielectric properties of PVDF tubing mean that it is an excellent insulator in addition to providing protection from physical and mechanical stresses to the covered materials.
Flame Resistant – PVDF is highly resistant to burning and possesses a limiting oxygen index of 95. PVDF’s UL 94 V-0 rating means that even if this material should ignite, it self-extinguishes within ten minutes with no flaming or drips. PVDF burns with very low smoke.
Radiation Resistant – PVDF is an excellent tubing choice for use near gamma radiation. This material is matched only by PEEK for its radiation resistance.
Sterilizable – In line with its biocompatibility, PVDF is amenable to several sterilization protocols, including autoclaving, gamma irradiation, ETO, and e-beam methods.
Tight Tolerances – At Zeus, our decades of experience have given us the expertise to produce a range of products with ultra-fine tolerances and ultra-precise custom profiles and sizes.
UV Resistant – PVDF tubing is very resistant to UV radiation, meaning it will not break down or deteriorate in outdoor use; it maintains its properties long-term and is very resistant to aging. PVDF tubing is also suitable for use under UV sterilization.
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