Kydex is a line of

thermoplastic A thermoplastic, or thermosoft plastic, is any plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling. Most thermoplastics have a high molecular weight. The polymer chains associate ...

acrylic Acrylic may refer to: Chemicals and materials * Acrylic acid, the simplest acrylic compound * Acrylate polymer, a group of polymers (plastics) noted for transparency and elasticity * Acrylic resin, a group of related thermoplastic or thermosett ...

- polyvinyl chloride materials manufactured by Sekisui SPI. It has a wide variety of applications, including for aircraft bulkheads, firearm

holsters A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use. Holsters are often attached to a belt or waistband, but they may be at ...

, and sheaths. A similar acrylic polyvinyl chloride material (

IPK Acrylic-polyvinyl chloride IPK Acrylic-polyvinyl chloride (IPK, IPK Acrylic PVC, IPK Thermoformable Sheet, IPK Kydex) is a line of thermoplastic acryl group, acrylic-polyvinyl chloride composite material. It has a chemical structure similar to Kydex with an Acrylic-polyvinyl ...

) is manufactured by Emco Plastics and Interstate Plastics, which carries nearly identical properties with an added layer for screen printing. Kydex has become a

generic trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...

, and often refers to any material of a similar composition.

Development

Kydex sheet was originally produced in 1965 by

Rohm and Haas Rohm and Haas Company is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals for end use markets such as building and construction, electronic devices, packaging, household and personal care products. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the company is organized i ...

, having been designed for use in aircraft interiors. In 1987, the product line was purchased by Kydex, LLC, formerly Kleerdex Company, LLC, which manufactures the material under the name Sekisui SPI at a location in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. In April 2020, the company was renamed Sekisui Kydex, LLC.

Characteristics

It is an acrylic-polyvinyl chloride composite engineered for thermoforming fabrication, and combines properties of both the acrylic and the polyvinyl chloride components. From acrylic, it obtains rigidity and formability; from PVC, toughness, chemical resistance and good interior finish ratings. Sheet thickness ranges from and can be thermoformed, post formed, brake formed and laminated. *

Flexural modulus In mechanics, the flexural modulus or bending modulus is an intensive property that is computed as the ratio of stress to strain in flexural deformation, or the tendency for a material to resist bending. It is determined from the slope of a stress ...

is * Parts formed from sheet will be rigid and will see moderate deformation when loaded. This is of particular importance in deep formed parts with thin wall sections. * Relatively hard thermoplastic, with a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale. This hardness, combined with a grained surface, increases its abrasion resistance. * Low flammability,

UL 94 UL 94, the Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances testing, is a plastics flammability standard released by Underwriters Laboratories of the United States. The standard determines the material� ...

classification V-0 For some applications it is used as replacement for leather, where it has the following advantages: * Waterproof * Scratch resistant (

Rockwell scale The Rockwell scale is a hardness scale based on indentation hardness of a material. The Rockwell test measures the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load (major load) compared to the penetration made by a preload (minor load). The ...

"R" hardness of 90) * Holds its shape better, and will not stretch or shrink under normal conditions * Lower friction.

Applications

* Knife and tool sheaths * Springs and tensioners * Firearm holsters * Seat backs * Aircraft pull-down trays * Truck fenders * Trays and tote boxes * DJ booths * Motor covers * Safety helmets * Aircraft fairings * Air exhaust systems *

Rapid prototyping Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printin ...

of systems * Custom insulators for electronic equipment * Clean roomsKydex Sheet Applications
* Armour for

SCA SCA may refer to: Biology and health * Sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell anaemia * Spinocerebellar ataxia, a neurological condition * Statistical coupling analysis, a method to identify covarying pairs of amino acids in protein mult ...

heavy combat * Telescope tubes * Autonomous marine vehicles * Fender for PEVs

References

External links

* {{official website Thermoplastics Vinyl polymers