An Introduction to PVDF Coatings

What The Initials Stand For:

The full name is polyvinylidene fluoride, something
only chemists can say with ease. And even they prefer
to use the initials PVDF. Confusingly, the same material is also known as PVF2, and categorized as a fluorocarbon or fluoropolymer. Thus PVDF is a member of a
class of fluorine-based polymers. Other fluoropolymers include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and
polyvinyl fluoride (PVF).
What The Fluoropolymers Have In Common:
Stability. The stability of fluoropolymers is the key
factor in their unusual performance.

F F
C C
F F

n1

PTFE

F H
C C
F H n2
PVDF

The combination of carbon-fluorine bonds (providing

stability) with carbon-hydrogen bonds creates a
unique structure with balanced properties that makes
PVDF particularly suitable as a base for liquid coatings.
How PVDF is Produced:
The raw materials of PVDF are hydrogen fluoride and
methyl chloroform, which when reacted make a refrigerant gas, chlorodiflouroethane of R-142V. Further
processing of R-142B produces a vinylidene fluoride
monomer. Polymerization of the vinylidene fluoride,
in high-purity water under controlled temperature and
pressure with a catalyst, produces the PVDF polymer.
Subsequent processing steps-washing, drying, finishing-produce the commercial powder resin.
The powdered PVDF resin serves as the base material
for formulation of premium liquid coatings applied to
metal architectural components. Pelletized PVDF is used

For information contact your AUSIMONT representative or:

Europe

North America

Tel: +39-02-3835-1
Fax: +39-02-3835-2129
Email: product.ita@ausimont.com

Tel: +1-856-853-8119
Fax: +1-856-853-6405
Email: prodinfo@ausiusa.com

Ausimont S.p.A. (Italy)

page 1 of 3

Ausimont USA

www.ausimont.com

Ausimont produces HYLAR 5000 PVDF at its plant in

Thorofare, New Jersey, the most advanced PVDF production facility in the world. Highly automated, the
Thorofare complex, which began operation only in
1986, was designed and engineered to take advantage
of the latest computer control and monitoring equipment. Virtually the entire process, with its various controls, is driven by computer programs, assuring a high
degree of quality and consistency.
To Make a PVDF Coating:
Ausimont supplies the HYLAR 5000 PVDF powder,
which is the key ingredient in the formulation of
premium architectural coatings. Using this resin as a
base, coatings manufacturers produce the coating
systems. Ausimont works closely with the coatings
manufacturers it supplies, sharing its own technological resources and experience.
A liquid coating is formed from the HYLAR 5000 powder by dispersing it in a latent solvent system. This
dispersion is unaffected by ambient temperatures but
when heated the powder particles dissolve and coalesce. By manipulating the solvent balance, a stable
dispersion is produced that can be handled and
applied much like standard liquid coatings, and then
heat-cured into adherent integral films.
The Coatings formulation includes other ingredients,
such as pigments for color and opacity. In addition,
modifyers and additives may be added to achieve
various specific properties.
Some Pigmentation Requirements:
Since PVDF itself is transparent to and unaffected by
ultraviolet radiation, the pigment in the PVDF coating
must be opaque to protect the substrate from the
suns damaging UV radiation. To compliment the
stability of PVDF, pigments should also be resistant to
heat (since the coating must be baked), chemicals, and
weathering. In general, non-organic color compounds,
often known as ceramic pigments, exhibit these properties.
All statements, information, and data presented herein are believed to
be accurate and reliable but are presented without warranty, guarantee,
or responsibility of any kind, expressed or implied. Statements or suggestions regarding possible use of our products are made without representation or warranty that any such use is free of patent infringement,
and we are not recommending to infringe on any patent. The user
should not assume that all safety measures are indicated or that other
measures may not be required.
Hylar 5000 is a registered trademark of Ausimont.

modified 11/6/01

How PVDF Differs From Some Other Fluoropolymers:

Modifying and copolymerization of fluorinated materials can result in diverse properties, uses and applications. On the molecular level, PVDF differs from PTFE
in that two of the carbon-fluorine bonds have been
replaced by carbon-hydrogen bonds, as shown here:

widely for processing into chemical process fluid handling systems and components, and various film and
solid items and parts where high performance is a concern.

Hylar 5000

Product Data Sheet

An Introduction to PVDF Coatings

How PVDF Coatings are Applied:
In most cases, the metal substrate will be aluminum
or galvanized steel meeting high standards of uniformity and quality. In addition, the cleaning, preparation
and chemical pretreatment of the metal must present
the best possible surface for receiving the finished
system. Primers, for instance, impart adhesion and
corrosion resistance. A properly prepared metal, coated with a HYLAR 5000 PVDF based system, assures
long-lasting beauty and protection.

method of application. With either method, the coated

method then undergoes a baking process which coalesces the PVDF resin particles, fuses them together,
and evaporates the solvent.
Proving the Long-Term Performance of PVDF:
The primary objective to be achieved by using a PVDF
finish is, of course, the maintenance of original
appearance throughout long-term weathering.
Accelerated testing, such as in an apparatus known as
a weatherometer, can predict exposure of test panels
and confirm the expectation.

Application is usually by coil coating or spray coating,

and the coatings formulations are taylored to the

Florida Exposure 45 South of Commercially Made Panels*

12

12

PVDF
SILICONE

CHALK RATING

VINY

L PLA

STIS
OL

URE

10

POLYESTE
R

THA

NE

AGING TIME (Years)

10

12

12

PVDF
SILICONE

CHALK RATING

12

10

VINY
L

10

POLYESTE
R

PLAS
TISO

URE

THA

NE

10

Hylar 5000

Product Data Sheet

AGING TIME (Years)

10

12

*Data for various coatings may not reflect the complete range of grades available for each type coating

For information contact your AUSIMONT representative or:

Europe

North America

Tel: +39-02-3835-1
Fax: +39-02-3835-2129
Email: product.ita@ausimont.com

Tel: +1-856-853-8119
Fax: +1-856-853-6405
Email: prodinfo@ausiusa.com

Ausimont S.p.A. (Italy)

page 2 of 3

Ausimont USA

www.ausimont.com

All statements, information, and data presented herein are believed to

be accurate and reliable but are presented without warranty, guarantee,
or responsibility of any kind, expressed or implied. Statements or suggestions regarding possible use of our products are made without representation or warranty that any such use is free of patent infringement,
and we are not recommending to infringe on any patent. The user
should not assume that all safety measures are indicated or that other
measures may not be required.
Hylar 5000 is a registered trademark of Ausimont.

modified 11/6/01

An Introduction to PVDF Coatings

Hylar 5000

Product Data Sheet

Florida Exposure 45 South of Commercially Made Panels*
140

% GLOSS RETENTION (60)

120

PVDF

100
80

SIL
ICO
NE

60

VI

40
20

UR

0
0

ETH

NY

L PL

AST

PO

LYE
S

T ER

IS O L

ANE
2

AGING TIME (Years)

10

*Data for various coatings may not reflect the complete range of grades available for each type coating

PVDF in the Real World:

As architects came to appreciate the benifits of PVDF
coatings such as those based on HYLAR 5000, more
and more projects around the world - monumental,

Actual long-term exposure to weather affects the

appearance of coatings in several ways - color
change, gloss deterioration, and chalking( a form of
surface erosion). All these changes can be measured
and in each case the results - based on 10 years of
exposure in southern Florida - demonstrate the superior performance of PVDF (see graphs above).

industrial, commercial - have been specified with

these advanced coatings. Some of these structures
have been in place for more than two decades and
their performance is compelling evidence that PVDFbased coatings retain their original beauty and
appearance in real-world environments.

Further examination of exposed test panels by electron microscope confirms the lack of surface degradation of PVDF coatings and the severe erosion suffered
by more conventional coatings systems.

For information contact your AUSIMONT representative or:

Europe

North America

Tel: +39-02-3835-1
Fax: +39-02-3835-2129
Email: product.ita@ausimont.com

Tel: +1-856-853-8119
Fax: +1-856-853-6405
Email: prodinfo@ausiusa.com

Ausimont S.p.A. (Italy)

page 3 of 3

Ausimont USA

www.ausimont.com

All statements, information, and data presented herein are believed to

be accurate and reliable but are presented without warranty, guarantee,
or responsibility of any kind, expressed or implied. Statements or suggestions regarding possible use of our products are made without representation or warranty that any such use is free of patent infringement,
and we are not recommending to infringe on any patent. The user
should not assume that all safety measures are indicated or that other
measures may not be required.
Hylar 5000 is a registered trademark of Ausimont.

modified 11/6/01

For instance, after extended exposure to UV radiation

and water cycles in a weatherometer, PVDF coatings
show very little erosion of the protective film when
compared to other coatings systems.