(Polyether ether ketone)

Advantages of PEEK Rod
PEEK polymer is considered one of the highest performing materials in the world. PEEK rod is comprised of a semi crystalline thermoplastic known for its unique combination of properties. These include:

    Excellent high temperature performance - high continuous service temperature use of 260°C
    Melting point of 343°C (higher than the melting point of PTFE or PPS)
    A high tensile strength of 90 - 100 MPa
    Chemical and wear resistance
    Biocompatibility
    High resistant to attack by both organic and aqueous environments

Disadvantages of PEEK Rod
One big disadvantage is the relatively high price of PEEK which is can be four times the cost of PTFE. The price factor usually limits its application to high value items. PEEK is not a shape memory polymer in that it does not have the ability to return from a temporary deformed state to its original shape by an external stimulus such as temperature change.

How does PEEK Rod perform?
When it comes to high temperature its short term operating temperature is 300°C - 40 degrees more than PTFE – that’s 15% higher. PEEK rod material is 53% harder than Acetal and has 36% more tensile strength than nylon 6, 6. In addition, it is almost 60% stiffer. PEEK rod has excellent machine-ability, is flame retardant, and possesses excellent wear and slide properties.

What is PEEK Rod used for?
Because of its qualities, PEEK rod is used to fabricate items used in demanding environments, such as bearings, piston parts, pumps, and compressor plate valves. It is also used extensively in the aerospace, automotive, and chemical process industries. PEEK is one of the few plastics compatible with vacuum applications.

PEEK rod can be used as a metal replacement for high temperature applications. As a result, it has become a key plastic for materials engineers in applications when no other material can meet the requirements, such as for the oil and gas industry.  PEEK has also been shown to be a superior material in alternative energy production for the construction of equipment and components used solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal and hydropower.

What PEEK Rod isn’t suitable for?
Because the stiffness of PEEK rod drops off significantly and its expansion rate increases above 150°C, an alternative material such as PAI (polyamide-imide) can be better choice for close tolerance bearings or seals operating at temperatures higher than 150°C.

How well does PEEK Rod machine?
In order to decrease the likelihood that surface cracks and internal stresses will form from the heat generated while cutting, the material must be stress-relieved through an annealing process first. Extended machining times may also require some additional annealing before making finishing cuts to prevent crack formation. Silicon carbide cutting tools should be used for natural PEEK rod. In order to avoid adverse effects on the material’s biocompatibility it is best to machine dry. However, because PEEK does not dissipate heat the way metals do, a coolant may sometimes be needed to dispel the cutting heat that builds up. The best coolant is pure water as it is least likely to affect the PEEK’s biocompatibility.

Can PEEK Rod be Glued or bonded?
For bonding, we’d say to contact a specialist adhesive supplier but PEEK Rod is pretty difficult as it’s surface energy is very low. This helps in other aspects of the materials performance in a positive way but is a disadvantage when it comes to adhesives. Surface roughening either may have some positive effect.

Food applications suitability
Natural PEEK grades comply with FDA regulations for extensive food contact.

Does PEEK Rod have good wear resistance?
PEEK has very good abrasion and high wear resistance.

What about chemical resistance?
PEEK rod material is resistant to a wide range of chemicals and solvents.

What are the unique characteristics of PEEK Rod?
Unlike many polymers, PEEK’s radiation resistance is quite high and it can absorb over 1000 units of radiation without any noticeable loss of its mechanical properties.

Other Trade names (also known as):

    Victrex® PEEK
    Arlon®
    Ketron®

Size range, colours, and availability
PEEK rod material is available in natural (off-white) colour and in rod diameters of 5mm up to 180mm.

Why should you choose PEEK Rod?
PEEK polymer is considered one of the highest performing materials in the world. Because of its robustness, PEEK is used to fabricate items for demanding applications, including bearings, piston parts, pumps, and compressor plate valves. It is one of the few plastics compatible with vacuum applications and is also used extensively in the aerospace, medical, and chemical industries.

Why not choose this material?
While an excellent material for many high-end applications, the cost of PEEK rod makes it unsuitable for most low-end or low-cost components.

A summary at the end
PEEK is a unique, high temperature, high performance engineering plastic. It is tough, rigid, and quite strong with very good chemical and radiation resistance. PEEK can be used for thousands of hours at high temperature in steam or high pressure water environments while showing no significant degradation in. Radiation resistance is also exceptional. During combustion, the levels of smoke and toxic acid gas released are the lowest of any thermoplastic. PEEK is insoluble in all common solvents and has excellent resistance to a very wide range of organic and inorganic liquids, even at higher temperatures.