PEEK plastic has a unique chemical structure that makes it incredibly strong and dimensionally stable both under load and in the harshest environments. As a result, PEEK components can be found in nearly every industry, performing where other plastic polymers fall short. PEEK’s outstanding properties include:
- High temperature resistance
- High tensile and flexural strength
- Excellent electrical properties
- Outstanding chemical resistance
- Good wear and abrasion resistance
- Excellent fatigue, stress-crack, and creep resistance
PEEK comes in a variety of grades for specialized applications, such as carbon-filled and bearing grade. Carbon PEEK is particularly useful for high load applications – such as aircraft mechanical components and oil and gas processing equipment – because it has the highest strength and stiffness of all PEEK grades and improved load-carrying capacity.
Industry Specific Benefits of PEEK Components
- Oil and Gas – PEEK’s high resistance to steam and superior chemical resistance make it perfect for the harsh environments of oil and gas processing. Typical PEEK components include seals and electrical connectors which serve as insulators and isolators while also reinforcing softer seal materials. PEEK valve seats and seals also help control the flow of chemical gases and liquids without the risk of chemical degradation.
- Aerospace – Able to endure high temperatures and resistant to airplane fuels and lubricants, PEEK components are perfect for aircraft engines, electrical systems, and more. PEEK is also lighter than aluminum and steel with a higher strength-to-weight ratio. Lighter aircraft mean better fuel consumption and lower costs. For aircraft interiors, it is PEEK’s low smoke generation and excellent thermal resistance that prove the most beneficial. Unfilled PEEK is so resistant to heat and fire that it actually self-extinguishes.
- Medical – PEEK is biocompatible, meaning the human body accepts PEEK parts and the parts don’t break down over time. With a high strength and modulus that approximates human bone, PEEK components are often used for spinal implants and skull reconstruction. PEEK components can also withstand numerous sterilization cycles in a steam autoclave without damage, making them valuable reusable medical instruments.
- Food and Beverage – Food-grade varieties of PEEK are available, offering improved performance and longer part lifetimes for mixing paddles, bearings and bushings, valve components, and more. These PEEK components can endure high processing temperatures and are resistant to all clean in place (CIP) solutions.
- Electronics and Telecom – PEEK’s excellent electrical properties make it an ideal electrical insulator and the perfect choice for circuit boards, sensitive circuits, and hard drive disks. PEEK components also possess long-term reliability over widely fluctuating ranges of pressure, frequency, and temperature. In particular, PEEK ESd can prevent costly breakdowns associated with electrostatic discharge.
Reading Plastic: Your Source for PEEK Components
Due to PEEK’s high temperature resistance and high tensile strength, PEEK plastic machines more like a metal than a polymer. This can make it difficult and costly to process through methods such as injection molding, but in its solid state PEEK is readily machinable by CNC milling machines.
At Reading Plastic, our expert staff and state-of-the-art equipment can produce precise PEEK components that hold tight tolerances and can perform in the most demanding applications. Our exacting quality control standards avoid costly material waste and ensure your parts meet your specifications. For more information or to receive a quote, call us at 610-926-3245 or send an email to site2@readingplastic.com today.
