3P: Beyond Performance Plastics ^®

PFA is a fluoropolymer with performances close to the ones of PTFE. AS such, it offers good mechanical properties at high temperatures. The main advantage of PFA is its high purity combined with a larger transformation panel: PFA can be injected or directly extruded, and thus offer a large range of complex parts with a competitive process.

PFA is also available in compounds offering increased stiffness or strength. This allows the use of its high chemical resistance, one of the highest available, in demanding mechanical applications.

Virgin PFA is certainly the preferred material when facing high purity challenges. It is therefore often used in chemical production or in semi-conductor industry. FDA and WRAD grades are also available for food industry.

FEP is a fluoropolymer with a chemical structure close to the one of PTFE, with only carbon-fluorine bonds.

Thus it matches PTFE’s outstanding chemical resistance. It can be used in environments up to 200°C (400 F). Competitive processes like injection or direct extrusion offset its higher gross price.

FEP is often preferred in applications with high transparency and with high volume requirements.

Just like most high performance materials, it can be used in food and beverage industries, as FDA or WRAS grades are available.

PCTFE is a fluoropolymer, whose chemical structure includes chlorine. It is recommended for applications in contact with cryogenic fluids, as it keeps strong mechanical properties even at -255°C (-427 F). It also has a low absorption level, even for gases. It is therefore a solution often considered in fluid handling systems or in the aerospace industry.

PCTFE is available as basic shapes (sheets, rods and tubes) and as machined parts with high precision for such demanding applications. Moulded PCTFE parts are preferred to extruded ones for better mechanical properties.

ETFE is the fluoropolymer specially designed for enhanced strength.

Where other fluoropolymers encounter mechanical stresses too close of their mechanical limit, ETFE is often a competitive solution. Impact and cracking resistance, abrasion, stiffness, all these mechanical stresses are no match for the material.

The only counterpart is its relatively lower operating temperature, at 150°C (150 F), and a chemical resistance lower to other fluoropolymers, while still adapted to most common solvents.

Glass fiber compounds of ETFE are also highly valued when applications need even better flexural modulus.

ETFE is a thermoplastic with a full range of transformation processes available. It is most commonly supplied through molding, injection or film extrusion.

ETFE is often used in applications requiring transparency.

PEEK is a thermoplastic polymer recommended for its high temperature resistance and its high dimensional stability. With its light weight, it can even replace some metal parts in harsh environments, where it offers improved efficiency.

Variants of PEEK can be found in its polymer family, the PAEK (polyaryletherketone), when custom properties are needed.

PEEK compounds are common in demanding industries to achieve the best performance available. If standard compounds don’t fulfill your needs, custom fillers can be developed for these specific applications.

Also PEEK is a good composite matrix, available for proprietary continuous fiber composites.

PEEK can be injected, extruded or molded. It is available for complex parts, even for high precision injection. Molded or extruded parts are available, depending on the requested performance.

PI and PEI are part of the same large range of imide based polymers: polyimide and the variant known as polyetherimide. Such high performance polymers are preferred for their very high temperature resistance and thermal stability.  

With good resistance to radiations, they are also used in nuclear application.