Defense
A Critical Component for the Next Generation of Military Hardware
Performance and reliability are nowhere more crucial than in military applications, and Alpine is committed to supplying the defense industry with the most advanced and dependable components available. With their reduced weight, greater durability, and manufacturing versatility, Alpine thermoplastic nanocomposites are superior to metal components in land, sea, air, and even space vehicles. Alpine Advanced Materials can provide custom-engineered parts that meet the most demanding military performance challenges.
Defense
A Critical Component for the Next Generation of Military Hardware
Performance and reliability are nowhere more crucial than in military applications, and Alpine is committed to supplying the defense industry with the most advanced and dependable components available. With their reduced weight, greater durability, and manufacturing versatility, Alpine thermoplastic nanocomposites are superior to metal components in land, sea, air, and even space vehicles. Alpine Advanced Materials can provide custom-engineered parts that meet the most demanding military performance challenges.
HX5: A cutting-edge material for defense applications
Alpine’s groundbreaking HX5 is an advanced thermoplastic nanocomposite that replaces aerospace-grade aluminum. HX5 is not only comparable to aluminum in strength – at just half the weight – but it has much greater resistance to extreme environmental conditions and has dramatic manufacturability advantages. HX5 is the only material of its kind on the market today.
HX5 has been exhaustively tested for military applications and has been certified for use in the most demanding situations. It is currently being employed in jet fighters, high-speed helicopters, UAVs, amphibious transport vehicles, missiles and satellites.
HX5™: A cutting-edge material for defense applications
Alpine’s groundbreaking HX5 is an advanced thermoplastic nanocomposite that replaces aerospace-grade aluminum. HX5 is not only comparable to aluminum in strength – at just half the weight – but it has much greater resistance to extreme environmental conditions and has dramatic manufacturability advantages. HX5 is the only material of its kind on the market today.
HX5 has been exhaustively tested for military applications and has been certified for use in the most demanding situations. It is currently being employed in jet fighters, high-speed helicopters, UAVs, amphibious transport vehicles, missiles and satellites.
HX5™
Engineered to survive
Alpine’s groundbreaking HX5 is an advanced thermoplastic nanocomposite that replaces aerospace-grade aluminum. HX5 is not only comparable to aluminum in strength – at just half the weight – but it has much greater resistance to extreme environmental conditions and has dramatic manufacturability advantages.
Tested under the most
Rigorous
conditions
and certified for military applications by Lockheed Martin
Meets or exceeds
Standards
for out-gassing, impact performance, solvent resistance, advanced coatings adhesion, radiation environments and fine detail processability
Tested under the most
Rigorous
conditions
and certified for military applications by Lockheed Martin
Meets or exceeds
Standards
for out-gassing, impact performance, solvent resistance, advanced coatings adhesion, radiation environments and fine detail processability
Extreme
Resistance
to solvents, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals
Extreme
Resistance
to solvents, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals
Extreme
Temperature
Resistance
Meets rigorous
DOD Guidelines
for flame, smoke, and toxicity
Extreme
Temperature
Resistance
Meets rigorous
DOD Guidelines
for flame, smoke, and toxicity
HX5™
AT A GLANCE
$50 + M & 8 YEARS
invested in the research and development of HX5
90%
strength of 6061 aluminum
50%
weight of 6061 aluminum
Survives
extreme environmental conditions
Passed a
Military
16g crash test
Analysis of HX5 usage demonstrates significant weight reduction, much greater resistance to extreme environmental conditions, performance improvements, and speed-to-market advantages for a wide range of military and defense applications.
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
Galvanic 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
Taps and threads like metal
Unlike most solvent resistant materials, can be coated, primed, painted 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
Galvanic 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
Taps and threads like metal
Unlike most solvent resistant materials, can be coated, primed, painted and adhesively bonded
Can be metallized to meet EMI shielding requirements
HX5: Case Studies
Missile Bracket
Significant product cycle time reduction (min/part)
No post-processing or chemical surface
Simplification of supply chain
Testimonials
I’ve been searching for new materials to advance our innovative concepts in the aerospace interiors market for some time. HX5 allows us to create cutting edge lightweight designs that are a game changer for the industry.
We are bringing revolutionary technology to the commercial sector that will significantly address the greenhouse gas concerns encountered by the aerospace industry. Our target is to reduce carbon emissions of a commercial single-aisle passenger plane by over 600,000 lbs. per year.
It’s great to see this special innovation that was purpose-built for Lockheed military programs become available for light-weighting programs across many industries. I can see broad application potential not only in commercial aerospace and rotorcraft but also in general transportation, energy and in the broader defense market.
HX5: Case Studies
Missile Bracket
Significant product cycle time reduction (min/part)
No post-processing or chemical surface
Simplification of supply chain
Testimonials
I’ve been searching for new materials to advance our innovative concepts in the aerospace interiors market for some time. HX5 allows us to create cutting edge lightweight designs that are a game changer for the industry.
We are bringing revolutionary technology to the commercial sector that will significantly address the greenhouse gas concerns encountered by the aerospace industry. Our target is to reduce carbon emissions of a commercial single-aisle passenger plane by over 600,000 lbs. per year.