| HS Code | 841106 |
| Product | EMS-Grivory Grilamid LC-3H black |
| Material | PA12 (Polyamide 12) |
| Reinforcement | 30% carbon fiber |
| Color | Black |
| Density | 1.20 g/cm³ |
| Tensile Modulus | 14500 MPa |
| Tensile Strength | 175 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 2.5% |
| Melting Point | 178 °C |
| Heat Deflection Temperature 1 8 Mpa | 170 °C |
As an accredited EMS-Grivory Grilamid® LC-3H black PA12-CF30 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Supplied in sealed, moisture-proof 25 kg net paper bags with PE liner, preserving Grilamid LC-3H black PA12-CF30 pellets. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: palletized, shrink-wrapped bags of Grilamid LC-3H black loaded securely, maximizing weight capacity and ensuring safe transport. |
| Shipping | Grilamid® LC-3H black is a carbon-fiber-reinforced PA12 thermoplastic supplied as moisture-sensitive granules. Ship in sealed, moisture-barrier bags within sturdy cartons or drums, keeping dry and away from excessive heat. It is non-hazardous for standard ground freight, though carbon-fiber dust during handling should be avoided. |
| Storage | Store Grilamid® LC-3H black PA12-CF30 in its original, unopened container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and moisture. Keep the container tightly sealed when not in use to prevent humidity absorption, which can affect processing. Avoid exposure to rain, condensation, or excessive temperatures. Under these conditions, the material maintains good storage stability. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is indefinite when stored in original sealed packaging, kept dry, and protected from moisture, heat, and direct light. |
On underhood thermal-management line installations, EMS-Grivory Grilamid® LC-3H black PA12-CF30 is converted as-supplied at a nominal carbon-fibre loading of 30 % by weight, marked PA12-CF30 under ISO 11469. The compound is not dry-blended with unreinforced PA12 because a dilution below 85 wt-% neat LC-3H removes the high-modulus bridge at the clip retention feature and alters long-term creep response under the engine-bay temperature cycle; published engineering data for such diluted configurations is limited. Regrind from hot-runner sprues is limited to 15 wt-% relative to total charge and is reintroduced only after re-drying to below 0.1 % residual moisture in a closed-loop desiccant hopper; at higher regrind fractions the fibre length distribution after processing shifts toward shorter fragments, and part-to-part tensile modulus scatter increases.
Regulatory evidence for this application is held at line level: tensile and flexural test coupons are evaluated to ISO 527-1/-2 and ISO 178, while dimensional check plans and PV test sequencing are embedded in an IATF 16949:2016 quality management system. The compound is screened against the RoHS restricted-substance list under 2011/65/EU plus amendment 2015/863, and REACH Article 33 communication obligations are handled under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Closed-loop desiccant drying at a dew point no higher than -30 °C and an air temperature of 80 °C for 4 h precedes injection moulding. Cylinder temperature is ramped from 220 °C in the feed throat to 255–270 °C at the nozzle, with a mould temperature of 80–120 °C and injection pressure between 70 MPa and 100 MPa. The screw is a hardened low-compression design with a compression ratio near 2.0:1 to limit fibre breakage; vents at the metering-zone end are maintained at a depth that prevents flash while releasing low-level volatiles from the heat-stabilisation package. Terminal parts include coolant-line retention clips, EV battery thermal-management bracket bodies, and vapour purge valve mounting clips in which PA12 moisture uptake remains below the level that produces PA6 bore growth under engine-bay humidity cycling.
Post-mould conditioning above 40 °C is required not to dry the moulding but to bring the glass-transition-adjacent secondary crystallisation to a fixed level before the socket interface is measured. A socket that is machined immediately after demoulding can drift during the first 72 h at ambient humidity because the carbon-fibre network constrains global shrinkage but does not eliminate differential relaxation between thick proximal sections and thin trimlines. Conditioning at 40–60 °C and 60–80 % RH for 24–48 h reduces that drift to an inspectable envelope; the socket is restrained during conditioning to prevent bowing along the anterior-posterior axis.
Medical device manufacturers retain their own ISO 13485:2016 quality system and ISO 14971:2019 risk management; the compound is supplied without a biological endpoint claim. If the shell is classified as skin-contacting, the device maker’s evaluation follows ISO 10993-1:2018, often including cytotoxicity testing to ISO 10993-5:2009 and sensitisation testing to ISO 10993-10:2010. Structural validation of lower-limb prostheses uses ISO 10328:2016 static proof and cyclic strength levels; external orthoses are assessed to ISO 22523:2006 by the device manufacturer. Virgin feedstock constitutes 100 wt-% of the mould charge, and internal regrind is excluded unless the manufacturer validates fibre-length retention and batch traceability under the device risk file. The supplied pellet already carries 30 wt-% carbon fibre, so no further filler, conductive black, or impact modifier is dry-blended. Pellets enter a desiccant dryer at 80 °C for 4–6 h to below 0.08 wt-% moisture, then are moulded on a 25–30 mm screw with an L/D ratio of 20:1 to 24:1, melt temperature 245–275 °C, and mould temperature 100–120 °C. Gate placement near the proximal brim avoids a knit line along the anterior crest; after demoulding the shell is restrained during conditioning to control differential cooling. Terminal parts include dynamic AFO shells, prosthetic socket bodies, and spinal orthosis clam-shell segments.
Cycling and snow-sports component manufacturing uses the LC-3H black PA12-CF30 feedstock in metal-hybrid overmoulding tools for parts that replace 6061-T6 aluminium but retain the metal insert where a fastener torque or bearing-fit load exceeds the polymer stress limit. The polymer-phase addition remains 100 wt-% LC-3H black at 30 wt-% carbon fibre; in a typical hybrid component the polymer mass fraction is 40–60 % of the total part mass, and the aluminium insert is preheated to 120–150 °C before the shot to reduce chilled-layer skin thickness at the insert perimeter.
Structural bicycle components are validated to ISO 4210-2:2023; electrically assisted bicycle parts are additionally assessed to EN 15194:2017+A1:2023 by the whole-vehicle assembler. Chemical compliance screening covers REACH Article 33 and RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II with amendment 2015/863. Moulding starts only after the feed material is dried to a residual moisture below 0.1 % at 80 °C for 4 h. Injection runs at 240–260 °C melt temperature and 100–110 °C mould temperature, with injection speed between 80 mm/s and 120 mm/s to prevent premature freeze-off in 1.5–2.8 mm wall sections. Sequential valve gates are arranged so the final filling event occurs in a non-cosmetic bore or insert pocket, reducing visible knit-line opacity. Terminal parts include clipless pedal bodies, power meter housing halves, seatpost cradle clamps, and e-bike display mounting frames.
Unmanned aerial vehicle gimbal brackets demand low mass, high bending stiffness, and predictable surface resistivity to avoid triboelectric charge accumulation in a carbon-fibre airframe. The as-supplied PA12-CF30 compound is processed neat, with no additional carbon black masterbatch; the formulation-level carbon-fibre mass fraction remains 30 wt-%. Surface resistivity is measured on a moulded plaque rather than on raw granules, using IEC 62631-3-2 or ASTM D257; if a value falls outside the required static-dissipative band of 104–109 Ω, the cause is more often fibre orientation near the gate or a resin-rich skin than the pellet itself. Grade-specific data for this particular surface treatment is limited and must be generated on the production tool.
Compliance for the airframe supplier includes REACH Article 33 communication and RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II restricted-substance screening. Flame-clearance documentation is component-level; the grade is not a labelled flame-retardant product, and any UL 94 classification cited in an airworthiness data package should be confirmed for the exact wall thickness and colour of the moulded part. A residual moisture ceiling of 0.08 wt-% is set after 80 °C drying for 4 h. Thin-wall tooling is run at 255–275 °C melt temperature and 110–130 °C mould temperature, with packing pressure 60–80 MPa for nominal walls of 1.2–2.4 mm. Venting is positioned at the last fill point to prevent gas-mark defects at boss bases. Terminal products include gimbal yaw-arm brackets, camera-mounting frames, landing-gear trunnion plates, and prop-guard pivot yokes.
Robotic end-of-arm tooling for automotive body-in-white handling lines uses LC-3H black PA12-CF30 in moulded and machined structural nests where aluminium plate raises wrist inertia or creates tool-change mass penalties. The tooling component is charged at 100 wt-% PA12-CF30 without dry-blended additives. Internal regrind may be reused up to 10 wt-% of the total charge; above that fraction fatigue crack initiation at knit lines becomes detectable under cyclic clamp-loading in production trials, and published fatigue data for higher regrind fractions in this specific grade is limited. The carbon-fibre mass fraction remains 30 wt-% in the polymer phase; no glass fibre is added because mixed glass-carbon reinforcement increases the local notch sensitivity at sharp machined edges.
Integrator-side validation follows ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025; the material documentation supports the CE technical file under the 2006/42/EC Machinery Directive. Mechanical property verification on dry-as-moulded samples uses ISO 527-1/-2 tensile and ISO 179-1/1eA notched Charpy impact test methods, with fatigue tests conducted on the finished geometry because fibre alignment at gate and machining edges is design-specific. The hopper system is held on a desiccant dryer at 80 °C for 4 h to below 0.08 wt-% moisture. Moulding uses a 35–40 mm low-compression screw, melt temperature 250–270 °C, and mould temperature 90–120 °C. A post-mould stress-relief step at 80 °C for 2 h precedes CNC drilling of vacuum-channel boreholes; carbide or polycrystalline diamond tooling is required because carbon fibre accelerates high-speed steel edge wear. Terminal parts include vacuum gripper baseplates, EOAT structural frames, tooling nest plates, and robot-wrist safety housings.
Substitution of glass-filled PA6 by LC-3H black PA12-CF30 in a peristaltic pump housing is justified when the dominant failure is moisture-driven dimensional growth in the PA6 part, not when the primary load path is direct pump-head pressure containment. The polymer is used at 100 wt-% neat compound; no additional glass fibre is introduced because mixed glass-carbon reinforcement creates variable interface stress at the seal groove and reduces the acceptable ISO 178 flexural modulus window. If a lower modulus is required for a snap-fit geometry, the part geometry is changed instead of diluting the carbon-fibre fraction below 30 wt-%. Published data for diluted LC-3H black in peristaltic pump applications is limited.
Industrial fluid-handling equipment is screened under REACH and RoHS; a drinking-water contact listing is not supplied with this grade, so potable-water parts require separate national approval. Dimensional stability is reported according to ISO 62 water-absorption conditioning and ISO 75-1/-2 heat deflection testing. Process preparation requires desiccant drying at 80 °C for 4–6 h to a residual moisture below 0.1 wt-%. Moulding proceeds at a melt temperature of 245–265 °C and mould temperature of 80–100 °C, with high holding pressure maintained until gate freeze to eliminate sink opposite the seal groove. After 24 h conditioning at 23 °C and 50 % RH, bearing-bore and seal-groove dimensions are final-machined; exposed carbon fibre at the machined surface does not require sealing unless the mating seal material is moisture-sensitive. Terminal products include peristaltic pump housings, bearing flanges, rotor shrouds where reduced radial thermal expansion is required, and dosing pump gear covers.
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EMS-Grivory Grilamid® LC-3H black is a heat-stabilised polyamide 12 injection-moulding compound reinforced with 30% by weight chopped carbon fibre. The ISO 1043-1 classification is PA12-CF30. Its black coloration is derived from the carbon-fibre phase rather than a separate organic pigmentation system. The grade is specified for load-bearing structural components requiring low moisture absorption, high stiffness after moisture conditioning, electrostatic dissipation, and dimensional stability in humid or hydrocarbon-containing service environments. In comparison with unreinforced PA12, the carbon-fibre network raises dry tensile modulus from approximately 1.4 GPa to a range commonly reported between 15,000 MPa and 20,000 MPa under ISO 527-1/-2. In comparison with a 30% glass-fibre-reinforced PA12, the carbon-fibre variant reduces density and imparts electrical conductivity, but it also increases anisotropy and raises compound cost. These characteristics place the material between short-glass PA12 and carbon-filled high-temperature thermoplastics such as PEEK CF30 in terms of processing, rigidity, and thermal service boundaries.
Weld-line regions in PA12-CF30 are governed by fibre orientation collapse at the meeting flow front. Although the low melt viscosity of PA12 permits better pack-out than filled PA66 grades, the carbon fibres align parallel to the flow direction and do not bridge the weld plane. ISO 527-1/-2 tensile specimens moulded with obstructed flow typically show weld-line retention of 40–60% relative to un-welded reference bars. Increasing melt temperature alone does not recover this reduction because fibre-poor skin layers form at the weld, and matrix degradation may accelerate above 280°C.
Notched impact tests to ISO 179-1/1eA on dry-as-moulded specimens commonly give 8–12 kJ/m², but the value is lower at weld lines and can shift after moisture conditioning that alters the crystalline structure near the reinforcement. Elongation at break under ISO 527-1/-2 is normally between 2.0% and 4.0% dry. Snap-fit arms, living hinges, or thin flexible tabs designed using unfilled PA12 data are therefore outside the reliable design window. Such features should be replaced with screw bosses, insert-moulded metal lugs, or thick-section ribs operating below the proportional limit.
For components subjected to cyclic bending, carbon-fibre PA12 can exhibit earlier stiffness degradation than glass-fibre PA12 at comparable strain amplitudes, particularly when weld lines are present. Published S-N data for this specific carbon-fibre grade are less extensive than for 30% glass-filled polyamide 66. Component validation under ISO 13003 or a production-tool block-load sequence is therefore required before release.
The carbon-fibre network that develops in Grilamid® LC-3H black is a product of the compounding route, not solely the fibre weight fraction. Twin-screw compounding with downstream fibre feeding is generally used to limit attrition. In injection-moulded parts, the surviving fibre length is often in the 100–400 μm range, lower than the original chopped-fibre length because of gate shear and screw backflow. A well-packed 2 mm ISO bar may consequently show higher tensile modulus than a 6 mm thick part with a longer flow path and reduced fibre orientation.
Production-scale moulding of Grilamid® LC-3H black begins with desiccant drying to a residual moisture content below 0.1% by weight. Drying at 80°C for 4–8 h is standard, with a dryer dew-point target of −30°C or better. If granules are exposed to shop air above 60% relative humidity, surface moisture uptake is rapid enough that hopper blanketing with dry air is required. The melt temperature window is typically 250–280°C. Temperatures above 290°C should be avoided because the heat-stabiliser package and PA12 matrix can undergo oxidative degradation and carbon-fibre sizing can be damaged.
Mould temperature has a first-order effect on surface appearance and fibre wetting. Tool temperatures between 80°C and 120°C are commonly used. The upper half of this range improves carbon-fibre coverage by the matrix but increases cycle time and thermal load on the mould. Mould temperatures below 60°C produce visible flow lines at melt-front reversal zones and can reduce skin-layer modulus because fibre ends freeze before cavity pressure transmission is complete. Temperature variation across the cavity should be held below ±5°C using pressurised water or oil mould-temperature units.
Plasticising units with L/D ratios of 20:1 to 25:1 are adequate for PA12-CF30 if the screw compression ratio is held between 1.8:1 and 2.2:1. A low-shear metering section and a constant-taper transition zone reduce fibre attrition in the melt. Screw recovery speed should be set so that plasticating completes in 60–80% of the cooling time. Screw speeds above 120 rpm on small barrels shorten fibre length and lower tensile strength. Hydraulic back pressure is normally maintained at 20–50 bar. Higher back pressure improves melt homogeneity but increases residence time and can raise melt temperature above the barrel set-point.
Gates should be positioned away from high-stress regions because carbon-fibre orientation at the gate creates a local stiffness spike and reduced transverse strength. For hot-runner systems, externally heated manifolds with large-diameter drops are preferred to avoid fibre accumulation behind valve pins. Gate freeze-off in PA12 occurs later than in PA66 grades because of the lower crystalline melting point. This can assist packing, but it also delays screw recovery if gate dimensions are not matched to wall-section thickness.
Heat deflection temperature under 1.8 MPa is typically reported between 150°C and 170°C for dry PA12-CF30 specimens tested according to ISO 75-1/-2. That single-point value is not a continuous-use rating. The PA12 glass transition lies near 45–55°C. Above 80°C, the matrix softens and load transfer from the carbon fibre declines. Short-term creep testing under ISO 899-1 at 80°C shows useful stiffness retention, but published long-term creep data for this specific filler-matrix combination is limited.
In engine-compartment or pump environments, PA12-CF30 resists many aliphatic hydrocarbons and gear oils, but dimensional movement after oil absorption must be verified on moulded parts. Thermal cycling between −40°C and 125°C can produce micro-cracking at fibre ends if moulded-in stress exceeds local matrix strength. Injection-moulded components should be annealed according to supplier guidance and checked for flatness after 500 thermal cycles. Parts exposed to hot water or glycol mixtures require particular attention because PA12 absorbs less moisture than PA6 or PA66, but internal stress from anisotropic fibre shrinkage can still relax and release warpage.
Compared with PEEK CF30, the EMS-Grivory grade has a lower continuous-use temperature and lower resistance to steam, strong acids, and oxidising media. PEEK CF30 retains crystallinity and strength above 200°C and survives repeated autoclave cycles. PA12-CF30 should be limited to dry-air applications where continuous temperatures remain below roughly 100–120°C. The processing advantage of PA12-CF30 is substantial: melt temperatures of 250–280°C allow conventional water-heated moulds, standard tool steels, and shorter start-up curves. PEEK CF30 requires melt temperatures near 380–400°C and oil-heated moulds above 160°C, which changes both tooling cost and energy demand.
| Property | Standard | PA12-CF30 (LC-3H black) | PA12-GF30 | PA12 unfilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | ISO 1183-1 | 1.07–1.12 g/cm³ | 1.22–1.25 g/cm³ | 1.01 g/cm³ |
| Tensile modulus dry | ISO 527-1/-2 | 15,000–20,000 MPa | 7,000–9,000 MPa | 1,300–1,600 MPa |
| Elongation at break dry | ISO 527-1/-2 | 2.0–4.0% | 4.0–6.0% | >50% |
| Notched Charpy at 23°C dry | ISO 179-1/1eA | 8–12 kJ/m² | 12–16 kJ/m² | 5–8 kJ/m² |
| Surface resistivity | IEC 62631-3-1 | 10²–10⁶ Ω/sq | >10¹⁰ Ω/sq | >10¹⁰ Ω/sq |
The tabulated data indicate that PA12-CF30 occupies a narrow band between engineering stiffness and electrical conductivity. Low elongation at break must be considered when mating PA12-CF30 with metal inserts because differential thermal expansion at the insert perimeter can initiate cracks. For insert-moulded parts, knurled inserts with gradual wall-thickness transitions are preferred over sharp corners. The carbon-fibre surface resists abrasive wear better than glass-filled PA12 in dry-running gears and sliding blocks, but the mating surface should be hardened metal or a chemically compatible engineering polymer with carbon-fibre or lubricated modification.
Regulatory status must be verified on the actual production lot. RoHS screening according to IEC 62321 can be requested for electronic and electrical applications. Carbon-fibre feedstock and heat stabilisers may contain trace elements whose compliance depends on the supplier’s refinement process. REACH SVHC statements and end-of-life classification should be obtained from the material certificate. The grade is not a food-contact grade by default, and migration testing under EU Regulation 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR should not be assumed from the PA12 base-resin status. Because the material is electrically conductive, it is unsuitable as the sole insulating barrier in live electrical assemblies. Grounding paths can be designed through the moulded part, but contact resistance at bosses and inserts must be checked after mould-release residue is removed.
Continuous exposure to strong oxidising acids, hot phenols, and certain chlorinated solvents is not recommended. PA12 has good resistance to many fuels, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and neutral salt solutions, but stress-cracking tests under ASTM D543 or ISO 22088 should be performed when the part is under load and in contact with an aggressive fluid. Amine-based additives or flame retardants should not be added without supplier confirmation because even small formulation offsets can change carbon-fibre dispersion, electrical conductivity, and heat-stabiliser performance.
Typical production applications include sensor brackets, pneumatic valve manifolds, pump impellers, automated guided vehicle housings, and aerospace interior structural covers. In these applications, production tooling must fix gate and weld-line locations before final stress analysis because properties from end-gated ISO test specimens do not transfer directly to multi-gated components. Anisotropic shrinkage allowances should be derived from first-article measurements on the production tool. Starting values of 0.1–0.3% in the flow direction and 0.3–0.6% in the transverse direction are common for short-fibre compounds but must be adjusted after mould trials.
