Commercial Grades of PEEK

Commercial Grades of PEEK

If your project doesn’t need to be certified to Mil-P 46183 or any other criteria, Drake has industrial-grade PEEK stock forms available.  Drake Industrial Grade PEEK products are competitively priced compared to our premium quality grades and are designed to compete with other commercial PEEK stock forms that are injection moulded, extruded, or compression moulded. Drake certifications confirming the resin composition and specific gravity range are provided with all Drake Industrial Grade PEEK forms, but resin manufacturers’   are not. Case Study in Accreditation

Drake offers stock shapes in a variety of popular grades and sizes, all of which are fabricated from KetaSpire and Victrex PEEK resins and are approved for use in applications needing Mil-P 46183, ASTM D6262, and other certifications. Here are some examples of product certifications: Certification for Victrex; Certification for Solvay KetaSpire

Unfilled PEEK for Industrial Use

Drake’s unfilled industrial-grade PEEK is chemically and physically inert, just like other unfilled PEEKs on the market. It can withstand prolonged contact with steam and hot water without becoming brittle or splitting.

PEEK of the BG Bearing Grade for Industrial Use

When compared to unfilled PEEK, the PV and wear rate of Drake’s Industrial Grade bearing and wear-enhanced PEEK are both higher. It has the same chemical resistance, heat tolerance, and strength as unfilled PEEK. Precision components may be machined from it with ease. In the same way that Ketron HPV shapes, Victrex 450FC30, and KetaSpire KT-820 SL30 bearing and wear-grade resins all include 30% graphite, 10% carbon fibre, and 10% PTFE, so does this industrial resin.

GF30 PEEK PEEK, Industrial Grade

Drake’s GF30 industrial grade, reinforced with 30% glass fibre, outperforms both unfilled and bearing grade PEEK in terms of mechanical strength. Drake Industrial Grade GF30 PEEK forms are commonly used for machined insulators and oil and gas applications needing chemical resistance and strength at high temperatures because they combine PEEK’s high strength and the inherent chemical resistance of both PEEK and glass.

Commercial-Strength CF30 PEEK

This formulation has the highest mechanical strength of all the industrial-grade PEEK stock shapes offered by Drake thanks to its 30% carbon fibre component. Long-term exposure to steam, hot water, and a variety of chemicals does not affect its wear- and high-temperature-resistance PEEK properties. As a bearing material, it excels when put to use between two solid, matching surfaces.  Stock forms of this grade allow for the fabrication of precision-machined components.

Peek: The Reasons Exposed

• Unfilled PEEK has outstanding thermal qualities; it is strong, resistant to high temperatures (it won’t melt until it reaches roughly 650 degrees Fahrenheit), and lightweight. Unlike most polymers, it can withstand temperatures of almost 500 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods and even greater temperatures for shorter periods. The temperature at which PEEK begins to soften, known as its glass transition temperature, is close to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Reinforcements and alterations to the chemistry can make up for this innate trait.
• Unfilled PEEK’s chemical resistance is comparable to that of PTFE, but it is significantly stronger, making it a popular material in the oil and gas industry and the chemical processing industry. Toluene, acetone, ammonia, benzene, chlorine, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, gasoline, most fuels, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, MEK, methylene chloride, ozone, pentane, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium are just some of the chemicals it can withstand. That’s not even a complete list of the chemicals that can’t harm PEEK. Because of its versatility and high resistance, PEEK has found widespread use in a wide variety of industries.
• PEEK has exceptional wear resistance, and only a select few polymers can compare. Naturally, “wear” is a vague phrase that calls for clarification.
• Abrasive wear occurs when the imperfections of the countersurface induce cutting. Material deformation due to repeated strain and tension is known as fatigue wear. While friction isn’t technically “wear,” the opposing force against motion is nonetheless a problem. PEEK is a low-friction polymer with qualities that make it resistant to abrasive and fatigue wear. Low wear rates are in high-pressure-velocity situations with PEEK alloyed with PTFE graphite and carbon fibre. Unfilled PEEK has excellent fatigue resistance and wear resistance, but only when the maximum stress and velocity are kept low. In comparison to unfilled PEEK, PEEK that has been filled with twenty percent (20%) PTFE (FE20) has a lower coefficient of friction and better wear rates.
• PEEK’s simplicity of processing has contributed to its widespread use in commercial applications requiring large amounts of material. PEEK parts can be made by stamping and milling from thin strip stock or film by injection moulding in high-speed systems fitted with hot runner systems. When working with high-performance high-performance materials it is difficult to get the exact shape you require, which drives up production costs owing to the machining swarf and the time it takes to make it. PEEK’s high molecular weight and melt stability make it possible to extrude it into huge cross sections like rods over 200mm, plates up to 44 plates, and andes tubes with walls up to 2″. PEEK rods and plates in over 50 sizes are in stock and available for rapid shipment. Another reason for PEEK’s widespread use is that it is one of the few high-performance thermoplastics that can withstand the considerable machining required to make components with complex geometries.

Know more about PEEK.

Video 01: Commercial Grades of PEEK