Introduction
To match different polymer properties to an application, this Precision Point sheet can be used. After selection, this sheet can also be used for the mechanical properties of these materials.
Rules of thumb
- For each challenge there is a polymer, however these polymers have other negative effects, e.g. availability, machinability.
- Polymers are good thermal and electrical insulators, the addition of additives can make a polymer an ESD material.
- All polymers are corrosion resistant, however water, chemicals or UV can degrade the quality of the polymer.
- Polymers have limited temperature range usability
Selection
| Material | Application | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Automotive (car body parts), goldclubs, (computer) casings | Impact resistant, tough, light weight, shock obsorbent, low creep |
| HDPE | Plastic bottles, corrosion-resistant piping | High specific strength |
| HIPS | Instrument panels and fittings, gasoline tanks, food industry | Versatile, impact-resistant, good machinability, low strenght, soft, low cost, dimensional stable |
| LDPE | Containers, packaging films Insulation and semiconductive layers | Flexible, resistant to acids/alcohols/bases/esters |
| PA 6.6 (Nylon) | Automotive, textiles | Extreme durable and strenght, impact resistant, moisture absorbant therefore dimensional unstable |
| PC | Safety covers, manifolds | Excellent impact resistance, transparent |
| PEEK | Ultra-high vacuum applications, Aerospace, bearings, piston parts, pumps | Robust, high temperature resistance, high strength, high stiffness, low creep |
| PEI | Electric isolators | Stable temperature resistance, high tensile strenght, dimensional stable |
| PETP | Thermoforming applications, bottles, industrial fibers | Semi-rigid to rigid, lightweight, sufficient gas-/moisture barrier, strong, impact resistant, wide intrinsic viscosity range |
| PI | Cryogenic applications, electric wiring, bushes, bearings, sockets | Thermal stability, very low creep, high tensile strength, flexible, insulating and passivation |
| PMMA | Alternative to glass, daylight redirection, medical | Light weight, shatter-resistant, easy handling and processing, low cost |
| POM | Gears, fasteners, lock systems, insulators, bobbins, connectors | High stiffness, low friction, dimension stable, high heat resistance, good electrical and dielectric properties, low water absorbtion, high abrasion resistance |
| PP | Kettles, durable folders/boxes, ropes, flexural hinge containers | Fatigue resistant; dielectric; chemical leaching, heat and corrosion resistant, low density, impact resistant, freezing resistant, colorfast |
| PS | Protective packaging, containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers | Rigid or foamed, hard and brittle, poor oxygen/water vapor barrier, low melting point |
| PTFE (Teflon) | Plain bearings, gears, slide plates, sealing gaskets | Heavyweight, anti-stick, low-friction, excellent dielectric properties, non-reactive, hydrophobic, high creep |
| PVC | Tanks, valve bodies, pump components | No moisture absorption, chemical and corosion-resistant |
| PVDF | Sensors/batteries, thermal cameras, electrical wire insulation | Lightweight and lowcost fluorpolymer, strong piezoelectricity, negative d33 value, good electric isolation, low optical density |
Properties
| Material | Name | E [MPa] | ρ [kg/dm3] | σyield [MPa] | Tmax [°C] | α [μm/m/K] | λ [W/m/K] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene copolymer | 2200 | 1.05 | 35 | 88 ** | 90 | 0.19 |
| HDPE | High density polyethylene | 900 | 0.96 | 26 - 33 | 120 * | 130 | 0.45 |
| HIPS | High Impact polystyrene | 2000 | 1.04 | 23 | 83 ** | 81 | 0.18 |
| LDPE | Low density polyethylene | 600 | 0.93 | 20 | 80 * | 200 | 0.35 |
| PA 6.6 | Polyamide (nylon) 6.6 | 1800 | 1.13 | 55 | 75 ** | 85 | 0.20 |
| PC | Polycarbonate | 2100 | 1.22 | 60 | 115 * | 65 | 0.21 |
| PEEK | Polyetheretherketone | 3700 | 1.3 | 90 | 181 ** | 45 | 0.25 |
| PEI | Polyetherimide | 2960 | 1.29 | 105 | 180 * | 50 | 0.22 |
| PETP | Polyethyleneterephthalate | 2900 | 1.37 | 60 | 100 * | 70 | 0.24 |
| PI | Polyimide | 3200 | 1.43 | 80 | 266 ** | 55 | 0.52 |
| PMMA | Polymethylmethacrylaat | 3300 | 1.18 | 60 | 70 * | 70 | 0.19 |
| POM | Polyoxymethylene | 4500 | 1.42 | 65 | 107 ** | 120 | 0.29 |
| PP | Polypropylene | 1400 | 0.90 | 20 - 37 | 100 * | 180 | 0.15 |
| PS | Polystyrene | 3300 | 1.05 | 44 | 88 ** | 70 | 0.15 |
| PTFE | Polytetrafluorethylene | 500 | 2.17 | 23 | 245 * | 13 | 0.124 |
| PVC | Polyvinylchloride | 3100 | 1.38 | 45 | 70 * | 80 | 0.16 |
| PVDF | Polyvinylidenefluoride | 2000 | 1.76 | 45 | 148 * | 112 | 0.12 |
*Max service temperature **Deflection temperature 1.8 MPa