PEEK Polymer material
(Polyaryletherketone)
for 3D printing in every industry
PEEK (Polyaryletherketone or PAEK) material
As an engineer, you may be interested in learning about the growing popularity of PEEK material for 3D printing. PEEK, short for polyether ether ketone, is a colorless, organic thermoplastic polymer that belongs to the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family.
What sets PEEK apart is its exceptional properties, making it one of the top-notch materials in the 3D industry. PEEK filament has a unique set of qualities that make it a preferred choice for various industries such as medical, oil and gas, aerospace, and automotive.
For instance, PEEK is the ideal material for low-volume production and specialist designs that would be challenging to create using traditional techniques or metal. PEEK is known for its excellent thermal and mechanical properties, high strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to wear, chemicals, and temperature.
In summary, PEEK is a versatile material that offers high performance and has broad applications across different industries. Its unique properties make it an exciting material choice for engineers seeking to create prototypes or production parts with exceptional performance characteristics.
Specifications for PEEK
| MATERIAL PROPERTIES | |||||
| CONDITIONS | TEST METHOD | UNITS | TYPICAL VALUE | ||
| Mechanical Data | |||||
| Tensile Strength | Yield, 23°C | ISO 527 | MPa | 98 | |
| Tensile Elongation | Break, 23°C | ISO 527 | % | 45 | |
| Tensile Modulus | 23°C | ISO 527 | GPa | 4.0 | |
| Flexural Strength | At 3.5% strain, 23°C | ISO 178 | MPa | 125 | |
| At yield, 23°C | 165 | ||||
| 125°C | 85 | ||||
| 175°C | 19 | ||||
| 275°C | 12.5 | ||||
| Flexural Modulus | 23°C | ISO 178 | GPa | 3.8 | |
| Compressive Strength | 23°C | ISO 604 | MPa | 125 | |
| 120°C | 70 | ||||
| Charpy Impact Strength | Notched, 23°C | ISO 179/1eA | kJ m -2 | 7.0 | |
| Unnotched, 23°C | ISO 179/1U | n/b | |||
| Izod Impact Strength | Notched, 23°C | ISO 180/A | kJ m -2 | 8.0 | |
| Unnotched, 23°C | ISO 180/U | n/b | |||
| Thermal Data | |||||
| Melting Point | ISO 11357 | °C | 343 | ||
| Glass Transition (Tg) | Onset | ISO 11357 | °C | 143 | |
| Midpoint | 150 | ||||
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | Along flow below Tg | ISO 11359 | ppm K -1 | 45 | |
| Average below Tg | 55 | ||||
| Along flow above Tg | 120 | ||||
| Average above Tg | 140 | ||||
| Heat Deflection Temperature | As moulded, 1.8 MPa | ISO 75-f | °C | 152 | |
| Thermal Conductivity | Along flow, 23°C | ISO 22007-4 | W m-1 | K-1 | 0.32 |
| Average, 23°C | 0.29 | ||||
| Relative Thermal Index | Electrical | UL 746B | °C | 260 | |
| Mechanical w/o impact | 240 | ||||
| Mechanical w/impact | 180 | ||||
| Flow | |||||
| Melt Viscosity | 400°C | ISO 11443 | Pa.s | 350 | |
| Miscellaneous | |||||
| Density | Crystalline | ISO 1183 | g cm -3 | 1.30 | |
| Shore D hardness | 23°C | ISO 868 | 84.5 | ||
| Water Absorption by immersion | Saturation, 23°C | ISO 62-1 | % | 0.45 | |
| Saturation, 100°C | 0.55 | ||||
Properties of high performance polymers
PEEK does not offer merely two or three properties that mark it as the polymer of choice when high performance is required; it has a whole variety of them.
High heat resistance
According to test results, VICTREX PEEK polymer has a continuous use temperature of 260°C (500°F), indicating its potential suitability for deployment in a wide variety of thermally aggressive settings, including those encountered in process industries, the oil and gas sector, and the engines and transmissions of countless vehicles. In dynamic applications, such as thrust washers and seal rings, PEEK has demonstrated an ability to withstand friction and resist wear.
Chemically unreactive
PEEK has demonstrated the ability to withstand damage that can arise in chemically aggressive operating environments, including downhole in wells within the oil and gas industry, as well as in gears utilized in machinery and automotive applications. Furthermore, it has proven its resistance to substances such as jet fuel, hydraulic fluids, de-icers, and insecticides commonly employed in the aerospace sector. These properties hold true over wide ranges of pressure, temperature, and duration.
Mechanically strong
PEEK exhibits excellent strength and stiffness across a broad temperature spectrum. PEEK-based carbon fiber composites display specific strength levels several times higher than those of metals and alloys. The terms “creep” and “fatigue” refer, respectively, to a material’s permanent deformation over an extended period of time under constant applied stress, and its brittle failure under repeated cyclic loading. Thanks to its semi-crystalline structure, PEEK boasts high resistance to both creep and fatigue, enabling it to surpass many other polymers and even some metals in terms of durability over a lengthy and beneficial lifespan.
Difficult to ignite or burn
PEEK has demonstrated excellent performance in terms of flammability, with a resistance to combustion of nearly 600°C. Even when it does burn at extremely high temperatures, it will not support combustion and produces minimal smoke. This quality is among the reasons why PEEK finds wide application in commercial aircraft.
Re-processable and recyclable
Due to the stability of the PEEK molecule, the polymer can be re-melted and reprocessed repeatedly with minimal alteration to its properties. This attribute not only aids in minimizing its environmental impact but also allows waste materials generated during manufacturing to be reused in an economically feasible manner.
An unique combination for high performance polymers
Victrex 450G PEEK is a high performance polymer certified for use in the medical, aerospace and food industry. Due to its excellent properties the material enables the development of light weight and strong products applicable in demanding environments.
Discover our critical parts made from PEEK for every industry
Frequently asked questions
about PEEK polymers
VICTREX PEEK 450G is defined as a standard melt viscosity (MV) PEEK grade, with a medium molecular weight. Other VICTREX PEEK grades are available with higher and lower melt viscosities and higher or lower molecular weights respectively. VICTREX PEEK 150G is a higher flow, lower molecular weight, lower MV grade of PEEK compared to 450G. [A lower melt viscosity, measured in Pa.s, equates to a higher Melt Flow Rate (MFR)]. As a result, 150G may be more suitable for applications where lower viscosity in the melt during processing is desirable, for example, when injection moulding thin-walled parts or long, thin sections with intricate geometries; impregnating carbon or glass fibres for composite prepregs; or adding high levels of solid fibrous or particulate fillers and reinforcements to make compounds. However, the lower molecular weight also changes the bulk properties of the polymer: lower molecular weight PAEKs have higher stiffness and strength combined with reduced toughness, ductility and impact resistance. This is a consequence of the shorter polymer chains, which are less entangled, crystallise more readily and to a greater overall extent. Some of the properties of 450G and 150G are compared in the table below to illustrate these differences.
PEEK is a general term, an abbreviation, for the polayaryletherketone (PAEK) polymer [whose full name is poly(oxy-1,4-phenyleneoxy-1,4-phenylenecarbonyl-1,4-phenylene) ] and whose molecular backbone structure is defined by the repeat unit below.
VICTREX PEEK 450G is a specific grade of PEEK polymer, a unique grade which is only made by Victrex and which has a specific range of molecular weight. The molecular weight defines the bulk properties of the PEEK 450G polymer, including its stiffness, strength, toughness, crystallinity and melt processing behaviour.
