PEEK - Polyetheretherketone 

TECAPEEK Ensinger Plastics

PEEK material (chemically known as polyetheretherketone) is manufactured by Ensinger in standard stock shapes for machining.  It is extruded in sheet, rod and tube that may use Victrex® PEEK 450G  or Solvay Ketaspire® KT-820 polymer. PEEK is a unique semi crystalline, engineering thermoplastic that also offers excellent chemical compatibility.

Parts manufactured from high temperature plastic PEEK polymer can also operate at temperatures up to 260°C (480°F) and have a melting point around 341°C (646°F).  PEEK plastic is often used in hot water or steam environments because it maintains physical properties such as flexural and tensile strength at a high level despite the severe environment. Polyetheretherketone is often viewed as one of the engineering thermoplastics that tends to command a high price, however experienced users have come to realize the added value that PEEK materials bring, by offering the possibility of manufacturing parts that are lighter, stronger and able to survive longer under harsh conditions.  

Why TECAPEEK? PEEK Properties PEEK grades Your advantages Application examples

Why TECAPEEK?

Decades of expertise

We have 3 decades of experience in the field of PEEK extrusion, and were in fact one of the first companies to ever extrude PEEK successfully. Over the years we have developed a distribution network with more than 20 subsidiaries, and are supplying PEEK all over the world. 

Huge portfolio

As one of the largest PEEK manufacturers in the world, Ensinger is able to provide a comprehensive portfolio of stock shapes via several different manufacturing processes. In addition to our standard PEEK natural, we also offer several grades for specific industries such as medical, semiconductor, electronics and mechanical engineering. Furthermore, we offer an exceptionally broad range of dimensions for PEEK plates, PEEK rods and PEEK tubes.

Custom size products

In order to meet individual processing requirements of a designed component, we offer various finishing options, such as cutting and planing, or grinding and fabrication. These operations can add value to the user by bringing you closer to your final part configuration, thus, saving time and resources.

properties and characteristics of PEEK

PEEK polymer is a high performance plastic material with an excellent balance of physical properties. It has one of the highest levels of heat resistance and mechanical strength available among plastics. It is also one of the best choices when looking for good chemical resistance, as well as radiation resistance. Click on the list below for detailed PEEK characteristics.

  • Highest heat resistant plastic: PEEK

    PEEK is one of the best heat-resistant materials among high performance plastics. Even when used at 260°C for 5000 hours, the strength is almost the same as in the initial state and excellent in thermal stability. PEEK has a long lifetime in the harshest environments. 

    • Long-term heat resistance: 260°C 
    • Short-term heat resistance: 300°C 
    • Glass transition point: 143°C
    • Melting point: 343°C
    • Thermal deformation temperature HDT-A : 152°C
    • Flame resistance: UL94 V0
     

  • Material with excellent creep and fatigue resistance

    PEEK has some of the best mechanical strength characteristics available among engineering plastics, including the following:

    • Tensile strength (90MPa or more)
    • High modulus of elasticity
    • High hardness
    • Shock resistance
    • Creep resistance

    PEEK is also resistant to bending and, compressive stress, so it can also be used in situations where stability is required. In addition to standard PEEK, the following modified high-strength grades are available.

    Learn more about mechanical properties
    E-Module
    Impact strength
  • PEEK exhibits excellent resistance to various organic solvents, oils, weak acids and alkalis, and can maintain strength over a wide temperature range and concentration. It has proven to be a polymer that is difficult to discolour, expand or break.
    Chemical resistance
    Learn more about chemical resistance

  • PEEK bearing materials with excellent heat resistance and durability

    Unfilled PEEK natural is the most balanced material in high temperature environments, where non-lubricated sliding and non-contamination is required. Still, many applications call for special PEEK bearing grades as TECAPEEK PVX black, containing a multiple filler system (graphite, carbon fiber and PTFE), to fulfill a combination of requirements:

    • Low coefficient of friction
    • Improved heat dissipation (reduced frictional heat)
    • Improved strength and wear resistance

    With this combination of criteria, this bearing grade material can be used in harsh environments of 100 to 300°C. PEEK is used where conventional materials (POM, PA / Nylon etc.) would be beyond their limits. Because of these excellent sliding characteristics, they are used in gears, bearings, sliding bearings, and many other applications. In order to avoid thermal overload of a bearing, the resulting frictional heat should be dissipated as quickly as possible from the sliding surface of the bearing. The better the thermal conductivity of the part, the faster the heat is dissipated and overheating can be reduced. The fillers carbon fiber and graphite make TECAPEEK PVX black a superior bearing grade with improved thermal conductivity.

    The sliding behavior always depends on the overall sliding system, and on parameters like sliding partner, load, sliding speed, surface roughness, temperature and so on.

    PEEK Bearing Test 
    Details: steel shaft Ø 4mm, sliding speeds from 0-22 mm/s, load of 30 N 
    The graph clearly highlights how the friction coefficient develops over time (no. of cycles) in accordance to various sliding speeds (mm/s). As shown, TECAPEEK PVX black achieves permanently a lower friction coefficient than TECAPEEK natural.
    Learn more about friction and wear characteristics

  • Produces highly reliable and stable PEEK parts

    PEEK is used where high precision parts are required. One of the main reasons is that PEEK exibits excellent dimensional stability.
    The coefficient of linear expansion (CLTE) is low, and stable dimensions can be obtained even up to 150°C near the glass transition point. PEEK does also resist high loads and provides dimensional stability over a long period of time due to high stiffness and creep resistance. 
    The low water absorption makes PEEK resistant to dimensional changes due to swelling even if high humidity is present.
    Moreover, PEEK is resistant to seawater and steam, and does not hydrolyze even in high temperature and high humidity environments. In the medical field for repetitive use, PEEK can withstand more than 1500 steam sterilization (autoclave) cycles at 134°C.  In the industrial field, it is often used for valve parts due to the advantage of its superior water resistance.
     
    Learn more about dimensional stability
    Coefficient of linear thermal expansion

  • Long lifetime in harsh environments

    Due to its chemically stable molecular structure, PEEK has the highest level of radiation resistance among thermoplastics. Even high-dose gamma rays can be used without embrittlement or degradation which leads to cracking. As a result, it can be used for  a long lifetime, and maintenance costs can be reduced. Therefore PEEK is an excellent choice in harsh environments such as aircraft, power plants, and medical equipment affected by radiation.
    Learn more about radiation resistance
    Radiation resistance

  • PEEK fulfills requirements for applications in vacuum and CMP

    PEEK is a highly pure material with very low VOC (volatile organic compound) content and low outgassing. In addition, it has a low water absorption of 0.03% and can be used without worrying about outgassing in a vacuum environment like Aerospace.

    The metal ion contamination is very low. This makes PEEK an excellent choice for the most stringent requirements in the semiconductor and solar industry, as well as for medical applications. 
    Learn more about low outgassing

  • Supports more than 10 different standards

    PEEK materials can comply to many standards and are used in various industries. 

    • Food: FDA, (EC) No. 1935/2004, (EU) No. 10/2011, China food contact regulation
    • Medical: ISO 10993, USP Class VI
    • Aerospace: FAR 25.853, MIL-P-46183
    • Oil and Gas: ISO 23936-1, NORSOK M-71OC
     
    There are even more standards than the ones mentioned. Learn more about compliance of TECAPEEK on the industry pages or contact us directly. 

Extensive product range - more than 50 peek variations

Ensinger is a manufacturer of various PEEK modifications. All PEEK plastics are supplied as:
  • PEEK rod
  • PEEK sheet and plate
  • PEEK tube

Find here the full portfolio.

All PEEK plates All PEEK rods
A big advantage of PEEK is the ability to modify it. Special grades such as fiber reinforced, PTFE filled, conductive PEEK and others are available. You can select the most suitable material according to the usage environment and usage. We also offer special PEEK for medical, oil and gas, semiconductor and aerospace applications.

Unfilled grade - TECAPEEK natural

  • Service temperature long term: 260°C
  • Service temperature short term: 300°C
  • Tensile strength: 116MPa
  • Excellent resistance to weak acids and alkalies
  • All-rounder as it meets most of the requirements to high performance applications 
  • Used in various industries (Aerospace, Food technology, Oil and Gas, Mechanical Engineering)
  • High availability of PEEK rods, PEEK plates, PEEK tubes, far more than 100 dimensions on stock
  • Based on Victrex PEEK 450 or Solvay KetaSpire® KT-820
 

Fields of applications

  • General industry: powertrain units, sliding parts, compressors, pumps
  • Transport system: gears, rollers, grippers, valves
  • Electronics: insulators, connectors, wafer carriers
  • Food: valve, blender, kneader

TECAPEEK natural

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) - TECAPEEK natural is a high performance, high temperature, semi-crystalline thermoplastic manufactured by Ensinger...

PEEK reinforced grade containing 30% glass or carbon fibre

  • TECAPEEK GF30 natural
  • TECAPEEK CF30 black

PEEK reinforced grades exhibit rigidity and strength superior to unfilled PEEK. Improved heat deflection temperature, elastic modulus and hardness are also characteristics of carbon and glass filled PEEK.

 

 

E-Modulus
(ISO 527)
TECAPEEK natural   4200 MPa
 TECAPEEK CF30 black  6000 MPa
 TECAPEEK GF30 natural  6300 MPa

TECAPEEK GF30 natural

This is a special 30% glass filled PEEK modification that Ensinger manufactures under the name TECAPEEK GF30 natural.

TECAPEEK CF30 black

PEEK CF 30 is a 30% carbon filled PEEK material that lends the material a high level of rigidity and creep strength.

Improved heat resistance and strength

A perfect choice whenever reinforced grades cannot be used 

  • TECAPEEK ST black (PEKEKK polymer)
  • TECAPEEK HT black (PEK polymer)

Higher glass transition point and melting point than unfilled PEEK.  Especially excellent strength, hardness, fatigue resistance, and dimensional stability at 150 to 200 ° C.

 
 
Tg1)
Tm2)
TECAPEEK natural  150°C  341°C
TECAPEEK HT black  160°C  375°C
TECAPEEK ST black  165°C  384°C

 

1) Glas transition temperature
2) Melt temperature


TECAPEEK ST black

TECAPEEK ST black is a high temperature semi-crystalline thermoplastic based on polyetherketonetherketoneketone (PEKEKK).

Outstanding friction and wear characteristics

TECAPEEK PVX black

  • Well balanced filler combination (Carbon fiber, PTFE, graphite)
  • Resistant to high frictional heat and high temperature environments 

TECAPEEK TF10 blue

  • Contains 10% PTFE
  • Suitable for  optical detection
  • Food compliant with FDA and EU 10/2011 

Fields of applications
Ball bearing retainers, sliding bearings, seals, rollers, guidance etc.

 

TECAPEEK PVX black

TECAPEEK PVX black is a modified PEEK polymer with 10% each of PTFE, graphite, and carbon fibre. That makes TECAPEEK PVX an ultra high performance plastic material …

PEEK material for applications in semiconductors and electronics

TECAPEEK ELS nano black

  • CNT (carbon nanotube) filler
  • Conductive grade
  • Surface resistance value: 102-104Ω
  • Easy to machine, equivalent to TECAPEEK natural

TECAPEEK SD black

  • PEEK ESD material
  • Surface resistance value: 106-109Ω
  • High precision machining with tight tolerances for test sockets
 

TECAPEEK SD black

PEEK SD is an electrically modified PEEK ESD plastic that is commonly used in applications within the electronics industry ...

High performance PEEK grades for CMP retaining rings

Optimized for CMP in semiconductor manufacturing, compatible with various slurries

TECAPEEK CMP natural

  • Excellent wear resistance
  • Higher ductility compared to TECAPEEK SE natural

TECAPEEK SE natural

  • Excellent wear resistance
  • Superior hardness
 

Ceramic filled PEEK grade for manufacturing test sockets 

TECAPEEK CMF white

  • PEEK with very high stiffness and low CLTE
  • High precision machining with tight tolerances
  • Does not tend to form burrs during machining
  • Low water absorption
  • Good flatness compared to injection moulding materials
 

TECAPEEK CMF white

TECAPEEK CMF is a composite material based on Victrex® PEEK 450G polymer, that is filled with ceramic.

Biocompatible PEEK certified according to ISO 10993

TECAPEEK MT  
  • Suitable for all medical applications with limited contact to skin and tissue for up to 24 hours, and where applicable, indirect contact with blood.
  • Compatible with various sterilization treatments 
  • Various colours available on stock 
  • Special grades are also available: 
  • Carbon fiber grade (TECAPEEK MT CF30 black) 
  • X-ray detectable (opaque) grades (TECAPEEK MT XRO coloured)
TECAPEEK MT CLASSIXTM white 
  • Developed for dental and medical applications
  • Blood and tissue contact up to 30 days to 
  • Dental use can be extended (180 days) 
TECATEC PEEK MT CW50 black 
  • Suitable for all medical applications with limited contact to skin and tissue for up to 24 hours, and where applicable, indirect contact with blood.
  • Carbon fiber woven PEEK composite 
  • Tensile strength: 500MPa or more (Same level as stainless steel) 
  • Ideal for target arms 

TECAPEEK MT natural

Medical PEEK natural is suitable for use in medical applications and combines the excellent property profile of standard PEEK with requirements for biocompatibility.

Food Safe PEEK, compatible with various detectors

Contributes to improve safety in food production 

TECAPEEK UD blue

  • Metal detectable and x-ray detectable
  • Compliant with food standards (FDA, EU 10/2011)
  • Excellent resistance to various cleaning methods such as hot water and sodium hypochlorite

TECAPEEK ID blue

  • Metal detectable 
  • Compliant with food standards (FDA, EU 10/2011)
  • Excellent resistance to various cleaning solutions such as hot water and sodium hypochlorite
 
Peek food grade TECAPEEK UD blue

TECAPEEK UD blue

TECAPEEK UD blue has the highest temperature and chemical resistance capability of all of Ensinger's Ultra-detectable products. With a heat deflection temperature of over 300°F...

TECAPEEK ID blue

TECAPEEK ID blue is a metal detectable PEEK made with Victrex® PEEK polymer.

To request material samples or ask for a quotation please navigate through  the product detail pages. 

If you are not sure what material to use for your application, or if you have questions on technical details feel free to contact our technical support for advice. 

Your advantages

  • We have expanded the stocking program for PEEK natural to include 1000 mm wide plates. These wider plates are available from 10 mm through 90 mm in thickness, and can greatly increase the possibilities for your application and engineering design.

  • In any manufacturing environment, machine utilisation is always a priority.  Waterjet cutting parts might speed the part manufacturing process, yet still be limited by smaller plate sizes that require frequent change over.  Ensinger's 1000mm wide PEEK plates offer additional machinable surface area that can increase part yield per plate by up to 25%.

  • Waste of material is unnecessary and expensive. Reduce your yield loss by selecting the perfect match for you. Choose from many different dimensions in stock and on request.

  • Sometimes it is best for a designer or machinist to try and look at things from a different perspective. Let our technical experts help you figure out the best way to nest your parts in the most appropriately sized shape from Ensinger's large selection of PEEK stock shapes.

Application examples

Back-Up Ring

Machined from TECAPEEK SM natural (spin molded PEEK tube)

  • High long term service temperature (260oC)
  • Low tendency to creep, even at high temperatures
  • High strength, hardness and rigidity

Gear Case for tooth rack

Machined from TECAPEEK natural and TECAPEEK PVX

  • High mechanical strength
  • Good kinetical friction properties
  • No lubrication necessary
  • Low density
  • Narrow tolerances

Gear Wheel

Machined from TECAPEEK natural

  • Suitable for high loads 
  • Good temperature resistance
  • High surface pressure
Closing die for food technologie TECAPEEK black

Closing Die

Machined from TECAPEEK black

  • Closing die used in food technology
  • Long-term service temperature up to 260 °C
  • Brief exposures of up to 300 °C
  • Excellent mechanical properties
Dental healing cap TECAPEEK MT Classix white

Dental Healing Cap

Machined from TECAPEEK CLASSIX™ white

  • Temporary implant, which can have blood and tissue contact of up to 30 days
  • Outstanding sterilization resistance
  • Very good chemical resistance

Target Arm

Machined from TECATEC PEEK CW50 black (PEEK composite)

  • Target arm (internal fixation system), traumatology
  • Net shape design
  • Best mechanical strength 
  • High thermal dimensional stability

Typical applications that are machined from PEEK plastics: 

Electronical industry: insulators, connectors and wafer-carrier

Mechanical engineering: gear wheels, sliding elements, compressor- and pump-components, drives, bushings, valves and rollers

Automotive industry: clutch and gearbox components and turbocharger impeller

Conveyor technics: guidances, strokes, rollers, grippers, and valves

Medical industry: parts for surgical instruments and short term implants

Food industry: valves, blenders, strippers, dosing systems and kneaders

Oil- and gas industry: drill heads, sealings and sensors

Composite Robotic Arm

insert made of TECAPEEK natural

Metal replacement with TECAPEEK natural inside a carbon fiber composite robotic arm

In high speed moving components, saving weight is crucial to reducing inertia and improving efficiency. In this case study, a composite robotic arm used for high-speed picking and handling Delta Robots was enhanced by replacing a metal insert with TECAPEEK natural high performance thermoplastic material.
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