PPS Plastic - Polyphenylene sulfide

PPS material is a semi crystalline, thermoplastic high temperature polymer and chemically known as polyphenylene sulphide. Due to its structure, PPS plastic is chemical and corrosion resistant and has very good mechanical strength. Its chemical resistance and tensile strength are maintained even at temperatures above 200 °C. 
In addition, the properties of PPS are characterised by low water absorption, resistance to hot water and steam, and good dimensional stability. PPS polymers also have excellent dielectric and insulating properties that are stable under a wide range of conditions, as well as their inherent flame resistance.

PPS material manufacturers also offer polyphenylene sulphide polymer in reinforced form, such as PPS GF40, which is 40 % glass fibre reinforced. In addition, a variety of other PPS modifications are available.

Manufactured PPS products and POM parts

As a PPS supplier and manufacturer, we offer PPS material in the following forms: PPS granules, PPS rods, PPS tubes and tubings, PPS plates and PPS composites (in the form of semi-pregs, prepregs and organosheets). In addition to specialising in thermoplastic PPS products, our expertise extends to further processing of PPS finished parts. PPS finished parts are offered by means of PPS injection molding, PPS CNC machining and as PPS profiles.

PPS sheets, rods and tubes - PPS Stock shapes from Ensinger

PPS shape materials
PPS semi-finished plastic products are manufactured by Ensinger under the brand name TECATRON. Using the PPS extrusion process, we produce PPS plastic material in the form of
  • PPS plates
  • PPS rods
  • PPS tubes (on stock and customised)
The Ensinger TECATRON product family offers the following modifications:

TECAFORM - Why PPS plastic from Ensinger?

Faster machining cycles and yield through improved dimensional stability

PPS comparison bent plate
PPS is often used for applications that require tight tolerances. PPS plates in particular pose a great challenge in terms of dimensional precision that is necessary to achieve such tight tolerance.

Through optimisation of the PPS manufacturing process, Ensinger succeeded in reducing internal stresses to levels that until  now had not previously been achieved. The result is a new breed of PPS capable of meeting the market's highest application demands.

Low internal stress leads to less bending during PPS machining as well as less warpage. This is particularly important for parts made of PPS sheets that require high levels of flatness. In addition, this lower internal stress characteristic enables faster speeds and feeds. The need for intermittent post annealing steps between operations can also be significantly reduced. The result is faster part production and better yield, which considerably reduces costs.

Improved extrusion surface eliminates the need for selecting oversized dimensions

PPS plate comparisonoxidised surface
PPS extrusion can be challenging in terms of surface finish. It is common for thermoplastics to have an extrusion skin, which differs slightly visually from the interior of the material. PPS is one of the materials where this is more noticeable due to the polymer's tendency to discolour. For the machining of the finished component, this usually means that machine shops have to choose larger stock shapes than actually need, and consequently must accept more scrap. By choosing TECATRON instead, users can reduce this problem - as we have succeeded in limiting the occurrence of these drawbacks to more marginal dimensions. 

Maximized optical cleanness and minimised impurities

Manufacturing PPS poses a great challenge in reducing visual defects, such as black specks, streaks, flow marks and other impurities. Some demanding applications require high optical cleanness of the part surface. In some semiconductor applications, impurities in the material can even have damaging effects that impact process yield. Ensinger's TECATRON natural plates and rods, as well as the special tube materials for the semiconductor industry, are all produced  under special conditions and environments, that are designed to minimise the risks of impurities or visual defects. 
black speck on PPS material

We offer the industry's broadest size portfolio for PPS tubes, plates and rods

With more than 100 different combinations of modifications, production methods and dimensions, TECATRON offers the best variety of PPS choices. PPS tubes and PPS rings are available with inner diameters starting at 180 mm and outer diameters of up to 362 mm. Lot sizes range from just one single piece for prototyping projects, to large industrial size lots. In addition to the tubes, we also offer a good selection of PPS sheets and PPS rods, which make TECATRON a preferred material in the market.

PPS PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATIONS

PPS thermoplastic belongs to the group of high temperature plastics and combines good long and short term thermal stability. It is also an excellent choice when it comes to a wide range of chemical resistance in harsh environments. Other remarkable PPS material properties are:

  • High purity
  • High crystallinity
  • Good electrical insulation
  • High mechanical strength
  • Creep resistance
  • Dimensional stability over wide variations of temperature and moisture levels.

Click on the list below for detailed PPS plastic properties.

  • A high heat resistant plastic: PPS

    PPS plastic material has a very high thermal stability. Depending on the load, PPS can even be used long term at up to 230 °C. Such resistance is required in the automotive/engine compartment or in electronics, and PPS is often used for these applications. The thermal properties can be described in detail as follows:

    • Long-term heat resistance: 230 °C
    • Short-term heat resistance: 260 °C
    • Glass transition point: 97 °C
    • Melting point: 281 °C
    • Flame resistance: UL94 V-0
    high temperature plastics in plastics pyramide
  • Excellent mechanical properties

    Looking at the mechanical properties PPS is a very resistant polymer that is characterised by good dimensional stability even at temperatures above 200 °C. It has high tensile strength and high toughness. The tensile strength is further increased by the addition of glass fibres.

    E-Module
    PPS properties in comparison: e-modulus
    Elongation
    PPS properties in comparison: elongation at break
    Impact Strength
    PPS properties in comparison: impact strength
  • Even at high temperatures, PPS polymer excels because of its low water absorption and very high chemical resistance to strong acids and alkalis, solvents and fuels, and other substances. In addition, it is highly impermeable to many liquids and gases.
    Chemical resistance
    PEEk, chemical resistance
  • Coefficient of linear thermal expansion

    PPS thermal expansion in comparison

    A material is considered to be dimensionally stable if it retains its original or essential dimension even when exposed to different temperatures, humidity, pressure or other loads. The basic behaviour is determined by the material properties. However, the manufacturing process also has a considerable influence on dimensional stability.

    PPS plastic material is characterised by exceptional dimensional stability under thermal load. Only PEEK and PEI and especially the reinforced plastic grades can compete with PPS.

    For plastic selection and design, it must generally be taken into account that the thermal expansion (CLTE) increases sharply in the range above the material-specific glass transition temperature. This essentially explains the differing performance behaviour, especially when comparing materials in the upper temperature range. In the case of PPS, this is around 97 °C.

    Water Absorption

    PPs, water absorption in comparison to PEEK, PEI, PTFE, PVDF
    Under the influence of water, PPS is the high performance plastic with the most dimensional stability. 

PPS vs PEEK

PPS versus PEEK
In many respects, it is difficult to compare PPS with PEEK, because PEEK is after all the top class of high performance plastics. A few material properties behave comparably, such as flame resistance, electrical insulation properties and dielectric properties.

Especially with regard to the thermal and mechanical properties, the comparison between PPS vs PEEK clearly favours PEEK. Although PPS offers a higher compressive strength compared to PEEK (at 5 % PEEK = 102 MPa vs. PPS =134 MPa). PEEK has a higher ductility (elongation at break PEEK = 15 % vs. PPS = 6.5 %). This results in a higher tensile strength (PEEK = 166 Mpa vs. PPS = 103 MPa) and a higher impact strength (notched Charpy PEEK = 4 kJ/m2 vs. PPS =2,6 kJ/m2) compared to unfilled PPS.

In addition, the lower ductility of PPS compared to PEEK affects the machining behaviour, which is characterised by less burr formation and shorter chips, but a higher risk of cracking.

For some applications, requiring machining operations to realise very delicate structures or micro-holes, PPS can lead to better results than PEEK.

In general, both PEEK and PPS have very good dimensional stability in terms of water absorption and thermal expansion. PPS shows slightly lower water absorption, while PEEK shows slightly lower levels of thermal expansion. While the CLTE of PPS is relatively low up to 100 °C (with 6*10-5/K), the CLTE increases steeply (up to 11*10-5/K at 100~150 °C) in environments above the glass transition temperature. 

In addition to the advantages of PEEK having higher ductility, strength and temperature resistance compared to PPS, another advantage of PEEK is its better wear resistance. The data below shows a comparative wear test of different CMP retaining rings.

Buehler wear test (Oxide Slurry)
PPS, TECATRON, Bühler-test, oxide slurry

The advantages of PEEK over PPS are reflected in the comparative costs – PEEK being the more expensive choice. Therefore, PPS plastic is a good alternative especially when the material properties clearly exceed the requirements. In most cases, the lower-cost PPS alternative is then the better choice.

In addition to the over-engineering aspect, PPS material does have one decisive advantage: it has a broader range of chemical resistance than PEEK - only PTFE can top it in this respect.


PPS APPLICATIONS & PPS USES

End plate

TECATRON GF40 black
Transducer

Transducer

Profile extruded from TECATRON GF40 black
Spring contact

Spring contact

machined from TECATRON GF40 black
Bipolar plates

Bipolar plates

made from TECACOMP PPS HTE black

Semicon industry: CMP retaining rings, Clamp rings, semiconductor fabrication equipment parts, IC test sockets

Electronic industry: Connectors, contact rails, heat shields, LCD manufacturing equipment, inspection fixtures for PCB, FPC, and IC package substrate

Automotive industry: "under the hood", fuel and brake systems

Medical industry: Parts for surgical instruments

Mechanical engineering: Compressor and pump-parts, gears, valves, slide bearings, chain guides and base plates

Chemical industry: Valves, taps, bushings, pumps, nozzels, tubes and rollers


Case Studies

Clamp rings
Polyphenylenesulfide PPS TECATRON natural Thumb

Wafer Clamp Ring

made of TECATRON SX natural

Wet Process Wafer Clamp Ring

Wafer clamp rings are commonly used during the semiconductor fabrication process to support and accurately position the wafer. Clamp rings must provide high strength, dimensional stability, and wear resistance to maintain precise processing tolerances and ensure a high wafer yield. Ensinger offers a broad portfolio of material solutions for clamp rings, including the SX series, which features the industry's widest range of PEEK and PPS tube dimensions.
PCB inspection fixture PPS
Polyphenylenesulfide PPS TECATRON natural Thumb

PCB Inspection Fixture

made of TECATRON natural

PCB Inspection Fixture

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) must undergo comprehensive testing during the manufacturing process to verify their proper functionality. The PCB inspection fixture consists of plastic sheets that include a fine-pitch array of nails that is pressed against the PCB. TECATRON SX natural is a commonly used material for the sheets due to its excellent dimensional stability, optical cleanliness, and micro-hole machinability.