Polyaryletheretherketone (PEEK)
PEEK materials are semi-crystalline, high purity polymers comprising of repeating monomers of two ether groups and a ketone group.
PEEK is characterised by excellent mechanical properties maintained to high temperatures.
- History
- Properties
- Applications
- Processes
- Recycling
- Faq
History
In the 80s/90s, the high performance plastics started to be produced.
In 1983 – ICI and Bayer launch PEEK.
Properties
PEEK is a rigid opaque (grey) material with a unique combination of properties, which include:
- exceptional chemical, wear, electrical and temperature resistance
- dimensional stability
- numerous processing capabilities
Applications
PEEK polymer is used typically as a replacement for machined metals in a wide variety of high performance end-use applications. These range in diversity from components for:
Cars
It is often used to substitute metal in gears, seals and supporting rings in various automotive applications. The use of PEEK facilitates weight reduction, lower fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions, and reductions in noise, vibration and harshness.
Aircraft
PEEK polymers may successfully replace metals such as aluminum, titanium, magnesium, brass, corrosion-resistant (CRES) or stainless steel and specialty alloys because it offers a unique combination of mechanical, thermal and tribological properties, combined with excellent chemical resistance and electrical performance, for use in aircraft components including wing, engine and fuel systems.
Industrial pumps
Valves and seals
Silicon wafer carriers
Connectors
Sterilisable surgical instruments
Medical implants
Processes
PEEK is capable of being processed on conventional thermoplastic equipment.
Unfilled and filled grades are supplied in the form of pellets, powder or ultra fine powder.
Pellets are generally recommended for injection molding, extrusion, monofilament and wire coating operations. Powder is used for extrusion compounding, while fine powders are generally used for coating processes and compression molding.
Recycling
Meeting another key driver in the industry, PEEK is fully recyclable, either mechanically or as feedstock. Energy from waste can be recovered at incineration plants.
The most appropriate recovery options depend on numerous conditions. These include local legislation, plastics part design, access to sorting facilities and regional logistics and recycling costs.
