HX5™
A Composite Material Like Never Before.
HX5™ is an ultralight and mechanically superior composite material, designed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® in a strategic effort to create the most capable, balanced and versatile thermoplastic blend in the world. HX5 boasts best-in-class mechanical properties that rival many traditional aerospace-grade materials at a fraction of the weight and is readily manufacturable by almost any process, from CNC machining to injection molding to extrusion. HX5 is an exceptional alternative to machined aluminum in nearly every application, offering equal or better performance at half the weight.
Having already been manufactured for use in jet fighters, high-speed helicopters, UAVs, amphibious transport vehicles, missiles, rockets and satellites, HX5 has proven its sustainability for a wide range of applications and environments. And, with clear advantages over machined aluminum, thermoset composites and other reinforced thermoplastics, HX5 is the only material for your performance challenges.
- Chemically resistant: solvents, fuels, skydrol and DEET
- Extremely corrosion resistant
- Highly compatible with injection molding and extrusion
- Machines like aluminum without chipping, cracking, galling or gumming
- Extremely coatable (powder, electrostatic, spray)
- Ideal for adhesive bonding and ultrasonic welding
- Can be molded into complex shapes with very thin sections with exceptional dimensional stability
Having already been manufactured for use in jet fighters, high-speed helicopters, UAVs, amphibious transport vehicles, missiles, rockets and satellites, HX5 has proven its sustainability for a wide range of applications and environments. And, with clear advantages over machined aluminum, thermoset composites and other reinforced thermoplastics, HX5 is the only material for your performance challenges.
- Chemically resistant: solvents, fuels, skydrol and DEET
- Extremely corrosion resistant
- Highly compatible with injection molding and extrusion
- Machines like aluminum without chipping, cracking, galling or gumming
- Extremely coatable (powder, electrostatic, spray)
- Ideal for adhesive bonding and ultrasonic welding
- Can be molded into complex shapes with very thin sections with exceptional dimensional stability
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
HX5 has 90% the strength AND near 50% the density of 6061 T6 aluminum
| Mechanical Properties | ASTM | HX5 (73˚F) | 6061 T6 (73˚F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength, (Ksi) | D638 | 38.2 | 40 |
| Density, (lbs./ft3) | D792 | 89 | 169 |
| Specific Strength, (lb/in2)/(lb/in3) | 741,700 | 410,300 |
THERMAL PROPERTIES
HX5 is dimensionally stable at elevated temperatures
| Thermal Properties | ASTM | HX5 | 6061 T6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, (L/L/°F) | E 831 | 2.11 X 10-6 | 13.1 X 10-6 |
ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY
HX5 is engineered to survive
- Meets rigorous DoD guidelines for flame, smoke, and toxicity
Extremely resistant to solvents, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals
Satisfies NASA spacecraft limits on outgassing and radiation resistance stability (doesn’t degrade in space)
High temperature capable
Passed accelerated lifetime thermal cycling and high-temperature thermal stability
Extremely corrosion resistant
MANUFACTURABILITY
Engineered to be versatile
- Drop-in material for many injection molding operations
Low shrinkage and excellent dimensional stability (0.5% vs. 2.0%)
Enables part consolidation into a single molded component
Compatible with metallic insert molding operations for multifunction products
One material formulation compatible with many manufacturing operations:
- Injection molding
- Profile extrusion
- Compression molding
- Thermoforming
SECONDARY OPERATIONS
HX5 is engineered to process like a metal
Machines like aluminum without chipping, cracking, galling or gumming
Drills and threads like metal
Unlike most solvent resistant materials, can be coated, primed, plated and adhesively bonded
Can be metallized to meet EMI shielding requirements
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
HX5 has 90% the strength AND 50% the weight of 6061 T6 aluminum
| Mechanical Properties | ASTM | HX5 (73˚F) | 6061 T6 (73˚F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength, (Ksi) | D638 | 38.2 | 40 |
| Density, (lbs./ft3) | D792 | 89 | 169 |
| Specific Strength, (in) | 741,700 | 410,300 |
THERMAL PROPERTIES
HX5 is dimensionally stable at elevated temperatures
| Thermal Properties | ASTM | HX5 | 6061 T6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, (L/L/°F) | E 831 | 2.11 X 10-6 | 13.1 X 10-6 |
ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY
HX5 is engineered to survive
- Meets rigorous DoD guidelines for flame, smoke, and toxicity
Extremely resistant to solvents, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals
Satisfies NASA spacecraft limits on outgassing and radiation resistance stability (doesn’t degrade in space)
High temperature capable
Passed accelerated lifetime thermal cycling and high-temperature thermal stability
Extreme corrosion resistant
MANUFACTURABILITY
Engineered to be versatile
- Drop-in material for many injection molding operations
Low shrinkage and excellent dimensional stability (0.5% vs. 2.0%)
Enables part consolidation into a single molded component
Compatible with metallic insert molding operations for multifunction products
One material formulation compatible with many manufacturing operations:
- Injection molding
- Profile extrusion
- Compression molding
- Thermoforming
SECONDARY OPERATIONS
HX5 is engineered to process like a metal
Machines like aluminum without chipping, cracking, galling or gumming
Drills and threads like metal
Unlike most solvent resistant materials, can be coated, primed, plated and adhesively bonded
Can be metallized to meet EMI shielding requirements
Performance – excellent in a wide range of demanding environments
Weight – up to half the weight of aluminum components
Production – high rate manufacturing of thousands of parts per day
Design – high quality, dimensionally tolerant, complex, integrated functionality