PBO
ZYLON® AS 1670 982
Toyobo ? High Tenacity
Manufacturer page / TDSDescription
PBO fiber with exceptionally high tensile properties. Protection from prolonged UV and humid/thermal exposure is required.
Comparative overview
PBO fiber — High-strength PBO
Strengths: Among the highest tensile strength/modulus organic fibers, with excellent flame resistance and low creep.
When to use: Select for premium ballistic systems, heat-resistant reinforcement, high-load cables and weight-critical structures when maximum organic-fiber performance is justified.
Key tradeoffs: Very high cost and demanding durability management: UV, moisture and handling can reduce long-term performance.
Qualitative ratings (1–10 scale)
| Relative cost | 10/10 — Very high — very high-cost specialty PBO with limited supply. |
|---|---|
| EM transparency | 9/10 — Excellent — dielectric and generally RF transparent. |
| Temperature / fire resistance | 8/10 — Very high — decomposition near 650°C and high flame resistance. |
| Impact / penetration resistance | 9/10 — Excellent — exceptional specific strength and useful elongation give near-top intrinsic penetration/impact potential; moisture/UV durability and system qualification are critical. Stored TDS elongation: 3.5%. |
| Electrical / thermal conductivity | 1/10 — Very low — electrically insulating with low thermal transport. |
| Specific tensile strength | 10/10 — 10/10 | 3766.2 kN·m/kg | Product TDS |
| Atmospheric durability | 3/10 — Low — high dry strength does not translate to unprotected weathering; UV and humidity can cause substantial retained-strength loss. |
| Sustainability (CO₂e) | 5/10 — 15.00 kg CO₂e/kg fiber — High emissions — data quality: Low |
Technical properties
| Tensile strength | 5800.0 MPa |
|---|---|
| Tensile modulus | 180.0 GPa |
| Density | 1.54 g/cm³ |
Applications and processing
Ballisticsheat-resistant reinforcementhigh-load cables and specialty compositesheat-resistant textiles and compositesHigh-performance ropesprotective products