SPECIALTY PLASTICS

Polyetherether ketone (PEEK)

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Polyaryletheretherketone
O S

C O O

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Characteristics:

Crystalline thermoplastic

Chemically resistant

Operates in a wide pH range (from 60%

sulphuric acid to 40% sodium hydroxide)
& at high temperatures

Additional chemical resistance includes

the organic solvents, aqueous reagent,
and long term performance in
superheated water at 260oC.
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Characteristics:

• Heat distortion temperature of glass

filled grade 315oC. Retains mechanical
properties close to its melting
temperature of 343°C. Continuous
service possible at 240oC

• High mechanical properties

• Very low smoke emission. Low

flammability value of UL 94 V-0 at 1.45
mm. Limiting oxygen index of 35% at 3.2
mm. Self extinguishing characteristics

• Unparalleled wear and friction

resistanceCORPORATE
in special tribological grades
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Available Grades
– Regular,
– Glass-fibre filled
– carbon-fibre filled grades,

In critical in-engine parts, the polymer withstands high

temperatures and the tribological interaction of dry
and lubricated material contacts.

In aircraft exterior parts, the polymer provides

excellent resistance to rain erosion, while for
aircraft interior components, its inherent flame
retardancy and low smoke and toxic gas emission
reduce the hazard to passengers and crew in the
event of a fire.
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 Additives
The most important additives for PEEK are
glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforcements.

As an example non-filled PEEK has an HDT of

140oC at 1.81 MPa, this value increases
markedly for C-fiber reinforced PEEK,
reaching a maximum at 315oC. PEK is
superior with HDTs of 186oC and 360oC for
non-filled and glass-fiber filled material
respectively.
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Thermal Properties

• PEEK shows a drop in properties such

as modulus and strength as
temperature increases.

• PEEK is suitable for use, albeit for

short periods, at temperatures in
excess of 300 oC
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Thermal Properties

• Good retention of modulus is shown up to the

glass-transition temperature of 143 oC. Beyond
this the modulus drops sharply, but some rigidity
is maintained up to the melting point of 334 oC.

• In the case of the glass –reinforced grades, the

level of rigidity is significant as evidenced as a
heat-distortion temperature of 300 oC, with a
fiber reinforcement level of 30%.

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Electrical Properties
• The combination of thermal stability
and good dimensional stability at
elevated temperatures, good melt
process ability and good electrical
properties over a wide range of
temperature favor the use of PEEK in
electrical and electronics
engineering.

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Resistance to Chemicals

• PEEK is resistant to most chemicals.

• Only concentrated sulfuric acid decomposes

the product.

• Nitric acid and some halogenated hydrocarbons

degrade PEEK.

• PEEK does not hydrolyze in water even at

280°C (18 bar).CORPORATE TRAINING AND PLANNING
Resistance to Stress Cracking

– Very resistant to stress cracking.

– Hairline cracks occur only in acetone.

– High mechanical stresses may shorten service

life.

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 Weathering Resistance

PEEK is affected by the UV component in sunlight.

Pigmentation or lacquering of molded material is thus
recommended for extreme weathering conditions.
Colorants and carbon black are suitable.

Resistance to High Energy Radiation

PEEK shows superior radiation resistance. It withstands a

-radiation dosage of 107 J kg-1. GF reinforced grades
exhibit even higher resistance.

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 Flammability

– Even without the addition of flame retardants, PEEK is

of low flammability.

– PEEK 450 G is classified as V-O (2 mm thick) to UL94.

– The oxygen index is 35% and thus higher than that of

polysulfone and polyimide but lower than that of
polyamide-imide and PPS.

– Smoke development is the lowest of all thermoplastics.

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 Processing
• PEEK is processed by injection molding.

• It must be pre dried at 150 °C for at least 3hours.

• The melt temperature is 350 to 380 °C for

unreinforced material and 370 to 400 °C for
reinforced material. Recommended mold temperatures
are 150 to 180°C.

• Shrinkage is 1 % and 0.1 to 1.4% for the unreinforced

and fiber reinforced materials, respectively.

• Peeled film up to 20 mm can be produced from

injection molded semi-finished products. These can be
used in place of biaxially oriented films.
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 Surface Finishing
PEK and PEEK moldings can be lacquered and vacuum
metallized.
Joining
Welding Molded PEK and PEEK can be joined by ultrasonic
and friction welding. The high melting temperature
(334°C) and high contact pressure must be taken into
account.

Bonding The surfaces to be joined must be clean, dry and

free from grease. The strength of the join can be
improved by roughening, flame treatment or etching with
chrome sulfuric acid. Suitable adhesives are epoxide
resins, cyanoacrylate, anaerobic and silicone adhesives. EP
resins result in the greatest strength.
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 Typical Applications

Automotive, aircraft and electrical industry in

the form of injection moldings, cable sheathing,
monofilaments and film.

Metal parts are coated electrostatically or by

fluidized bed. Trials are being undertaken in hip
joint replacement.

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Typical Applications

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 PEEK
Typical Applications

SEALS AND GASKETS

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 Typical Applications
APC (aromatic polymer composite) from ICI, a
combination of PEEK as matrix and C-fibers as
reinforcement is supplied as tape (3mm to 500mm wide)
and sheet which can be used in high performance
applications. The excellent mechanical properties are
achieved by special pretreatment of the C-fibers.
Claimed advantages are:
- 30% lighter than aluminum,
- more easily processed than EP resins,
-higher impact strength than unreinforced PEEK and no
propagation of cracks,
- high shear & fatigue strength,
- low water absorption and high resistance to solvents,
- scrap can be recycled,
- can be thermoformed, cold rolled and wound.

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 Trade Names
Arotone (Du Pont de Nemours, US)
Doctalex (Mitsubishi Chemical Ind., lP)
Kadel (Amoco Performance Products, US)
Mindel (Amoco Performance Products, US)
PEEK (ICI, UK)
Santolite (Monsanto Co., US)
Staber (ICI, UK)
Ultrapek (BASF, DE)
Zyex (ICI, UK)
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 Further Reading

1. BRYDSON J.A, Plastics Material, Butterworth

Heinemann, oxford, New Delhi (2005)
2. DOMININGHAUS H., Plastics for Engineering,
Hanser publishers, Munich, New York (1998)
3. CHARLESS A . HARPER, Modern Plastics Hand
Book McGraw –Hill, New York (1999)
4. MARGOLIS J. M., Engineering Thermoplastics,
Marcel-Dekker, New York (1985)

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 TABLE: Guide values of properties of PEEK
Units PEEK PEEK (Glass Filled)
Properties
Density g/cm3 1.32 1.44
Water absorption (23°C, 24h) % 0.5 0.06
Mechanical
Yield stress N/mm2 1.2
Elongation at yield % 4.9
Tensile strength N/mm2 92 208
Elongation at break % 50 1.3
Tensile modulus of elasticity N/mm2 3650 13000
Impact strength (Izod) J/m No break 749
Notched impact strength J/m 83 85
Notched impact strength kJ/m2 82 5.4
Rockwell hardness scale M 99 M 107

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 TABLE: Guide values of properties of PEEK
Units PEEK PEEK (Glass Filled)
Properties
Thermal
short-term °C 300 300
Service temperature in air
without mechanical loading long-term °C 250 250
Glass transition temperature °C 143 143
HDT, ISO Method A °C 140 315
Coefficient of linear expansion between 0 & 50 °C mm/mm/°C 47x10-6 15x10-6
Thermal conductivity W/mK 0.25 0.92
Electrical
Volume resistivity cm 5x10-16 1.4x1015
Dielectric constant 3.2
Dissipation factor, tan d 50 Hz 0.003
Dielectric strength kV/mm 190/cm
Fire performance to UL 94 class V-0 V-0

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