Introduction
As the country with the highest demand for plastic products in Europe, Germany has maintained a strong development momentum in the plastics industry. In recent years, the packaging, construction, automotive, and electronics industries in EU countries have developed rapidly, driving the rapid development of the local rubber and plastics industry.
As the fourth largest importer of the rubber and plastics industry in EU countries, China needs to have a deep understanding of the international market demand. By visiting the Plastics and Rubber International Exhibition to communicate face-to-face with people in the same industry, China can predict the industry prospects in advance and better enter the world’s emerging markets.
What impressed me most about this exhibition is the strong demand for special engineering plastics in the market. Compared with metal materials, special engineering plastics have lightweight, high strength, fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, and strong structural design. And other advantages, especially among them, the thermoplastic material polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is the most prominent.
What is PEEK?
PEEK is a type of semi-crystalline polymer material. The main chain structure contains a polymer composed of repeating units of a ketone bond and two ether bonds. Due to the regular structure of the macromolecular chain, rigid benzene rings and flexible Ether bond, and carbonyl group that can promote intermolecular forces, the PEEK material has high-temperature resistance, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, mechanical properties, electrical properties, biocompatibility, and other comprehensive engineering properties. It has huge market potential in five major fields including aerospace materials, auto parts, electronic components, oil and gas extraction, and medical materials. In addition, the application of PEEK in the field of 3D printing is also worthy of attention.
Since ICI commercialized PEEK under the VICTREX trademark in the 1970s and 1980s, only a few countries such as Britain, Germany, China, Switzerland, and India have truly mastered PEEK resin synthesis technology. Besides British Victrex (VICTREX), EVONIK (Germany), Solvey (Belgium), China Changchun Jida Special Plastic Engineering Research Co., Ltd., Jilin Zhongyan High-Performance Engineering Plastics Co., Ltd., and Panjin Zhongrun Special Plastic Co., Ltd. and Jinfa Technology Co., Ltd. are also major global suppliers of PEEK resins.
Application of PEEK in Aviation
Special plastics are widely used in helicopters and drones, and the usual dosage is 50% to 80%. In particular, structural materials have higher requirements for damage resistance, impact damage tolerance, and fatigue resistance. Selecting special plastics with superior weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and fatigue resistance is the most effective way for helicopters to pursue structural effects. It is also used in various types of civil aircraft components for aircraft landing gear systems. All aircraft manufacturers have chosen special plastics to replace the original alloy materials.
Application of PEEK on Automotive Parts
PEEK its modified materials are used for components in automobile parts, such as 30% GF glass fiber reinforced PEEK composite material of German UmbH company with the brand name of 450GL 30, which is used to produce oil filter for trucks. Thanks to the many advantages of PEEK materials and their modified materials, in the field of mechanical engineering, steel, and metal alloy components were preferred, and they are gradually being replaced by such engineering plastics, such as gears, supports, sliding elements, and gaskets, valve assemblies and more.
Application of PEEK on Electronic Components
PEEK can still maintain good electrical insulation under severe environments such as high temperature, high pressure, and high humidity, and it is not easy to deform in a wide temperature range, so it can be gradually used as an electrical insulation material in the field of electronic appliances. Among them, the PEEK material produced by British Victrex Company has a melting point of 350 °C, which has good abrasion resistance, dimensional stability, low outgassing, low moisture absorption, chemical resistance, and dielectric properties. And its processing performance is excellent, can be made into high-performance thin-wall insulation products with a thickness of 0.1-0.2mm.
Application of PEEK in Oil and Gas production
The oil and gas industry requires materials that are resistant to high temperatures, high pressures (HTHP), have high mechanical strength and good chemical resistance, and are suitable for extreme environments. Materials commonly used in the oil and gas industry today include PEI, PTFE, PA6, and PEEK. The unique electrical properties of these plastics allow them to meet the specific design needs of the component. Among them, the products of PEEK and modified materials have passed ENISO 23936-1 and NORSOKM-710 tests and have proved that they have good resistance to the harsh environment exposed. Typical applications are hydrophone housings, seals, valve seats, support rings, bushings, and gears. The benefits of these materials include reduced component weight, good corrosion resistance, thermal decoupling, and low noise emissions.
Application of PEEK in Medical Materials
PEEK and its composites have good biocompatibility and have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); PEEK is also biologically inert, and according to ISO10993-10: 1995, it is proved to be non-allergenic and genotoxic. Test results show that it does not cause any chromosomal aberrations. Therefore, PEEK and its composite materials have broad application prospects in the field of biomedicine. At the same time, 3D printing technology can be used to customize implants and artificial bones of any shape and structure.
Application of PEEK in 3D Printing
The application of PEEK in 3D printing is relatively small, but with the development of our 3D printing technology and services and the rise of demand, many manufacturers have made efforts in this area. For example, EOS company, a leading manufacturer of SLS technology, has launched HP3, a high-performance polymer materials based on PEEK, which can be used with SLS technology to manufacture parts and products; PEEK carbon fiber composite 3D printed parts launched by ImpossibleObjects, is 50% lighter and its strength is equivalent to two-thirds of aluminum(6061-T6) parts. There are also other foreign printing manufacturers include AON3D, Tractus3D, Rokit, and Verashape. At the same time, many domestic 3D equipment manufacturing companies have developed 3D printers based on material extrusion technology for PEEK3D printing materials. It is believed that in the near future, PEEK materials and their modified materials will develop and apply better.