Material properties of TECAPOWDER P84

TECAPOWDER P84 offers outstanding properties, such as high temperature stability, excellent chemical resistance, high mechanical strength, a low friction coefficient and minimal abrasion. The material can be used in applications where conventional plastics melt or soften or when thermal degradation occurs quickly.

TECAPOWDER P84 based on P84^® by Evonik is a fully imidized polyimide with no need for post curing.

Advantages

Shortcuts to the property descriptions

TECAPOWDER P84 has an excellent long term thermal stability. It keeps its dimensional stability and flexural strength at elevated temperatures due to the high glass transition temperature. Creep under load at high temperatures is also excellent. 

Parts made of TECAPOWDER P84 are often used as bushings or washers due to their outstanding tribological properties and high wear and creep resistance at elevated temperatures. Typical fillers such as graphite powder provide P84 with very low wear rates which is useful in bushing and bearing applications.

Due to its polyimide backbone TECAPOWDER P84 shows high chemical resistance to various solvents, acids and hydraulic fluids.

Virgin resin

Base resin: TECAPOWDER P84 HCM yellow, 40 mesh

• Best mechanical and electrical properties
• Good friction and wear behavior, high radiation stability

Graphite composite

Base resin: TECAPOWDER P84 HCM yellow, 325 mesh, filler 15 % graphite

• Excellent friction and wear properties
• High residual mechanical strength
• Very smooth machined surfaces

Graphite/PTFE composite

Base resin: TECAPOWDER P84 HCM yellow, 325 mesh, filler 15 % graphite and 5 % PTFE

• Lower coefficient of friction compared to formulations without PTFE
• Outstanding friction properties on rough sliding surfaces through PTFE transfer to the opposite material

PTFE composite

Base resin: TECAPOWDER P84 HCM yellow, 325 mesh, blended with 30 % PTFE

• Lowest coefficient of friction of all PI composites

MoS₂ composite

Base resin: TECAPOWDER P84 HCM yellow, 325 mesh, blended with 15 % MoS₂

• For tribological applications in dry ambiance and vacuum

Carbon fiber

• Due to the negative thermal expansion of carbon fibers, the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of P84 can effectively be to the same level as metals. As well as the thermal transmission of such composites which is much better than under the use of graphite. Therefore, it is well known that blending only 0,5 % of carbon fibers (CF) in 3 mm length will double the heat transmission of plastics. The use of up to 30 % CF increases the flexural modulus significantly.
• A disadvantage is the poor machinability of such materials as well as the reduction of elongation. It is not possible to improve tensile strength of TECAPOWDER P84 using reinforcement fibers.

Glass fibers/balls

• The use of up to 50 % by weight of glass is used to improve the heat deflection temperature (HDT) of TECAPOWDER P84 in very temperature sensitive applications (for example welding apparatus or plasma guns; arc resistance required).
• The addition of 5 % PTFE to this composite improves machinability