MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE
1. GET THE RIGHT GROUP ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION
GENERAL GROUP CHARECTERISTICS
AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
-
Soften over a wide temperature range
-
Good formability
-
Transparency
-
Poor Chemical resistance
-
Bond well using adhesives or solvents
-
Prone to stress cracking
-
Poor fatigue resistance
-
Structural applications only (not suitable for bearing and wear)
POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES
-
ABS
-
Acrylic
-
Kydex®
-
Noryl®
-
PETG
-
Polycarbonate
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
-
Polysulfone
-
PVC
-
Radel R®
-
Ultem®
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
-
Sharp Melting point
-
Poor formability
-
Opaque
-
Good Chemical Resistance
-
Difficult to bond using adhesives or solvents
-
Resistant to stress cracking
-
Good Fatigue resistance
-
Good for bearing and wear and structural applications
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
-
Best physical properties above 400ºF
-
Best temperature resistance
-
Best bearing and wear capabilities
-
Good chemical resistance
POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES
-
Acetal
-
HDPE
-
LDPE
-
Nylon
-
PBT
-
PEEK
-
PET
-
Polypropylene
-
PPS
-
PTFE
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
UHMW-PE
-
PAI (polyamide-imide)
-
Vespel® Polyimide Shapes
POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES
This selector guide is intended to help you review the needs of your particular application and determine a few material candidates that can then be tested.
Although the information and statements herein are believed to be accurate, no guarantee of their accuracy is made. The statements and information are included for reference purposes only and are not intended and should not be construed as either a warranty of any type or representations applicable to the particular application, use or design of the buyer or user of the goods. In every case, we recommend that the purchaser or user before using or buying any product perform their own tests and make their own decision to determine to their own satisfaction whether the product is of acceptable quality, type and design and is suitable for the particular purposes under their own operating conditions.
2. CHOOSE THE BEST FAMILY - TEMPERATURE vs COST
AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
HIGHEST
Cost
-
Ultem®
-
Radel R®
-
Polysulfone
-
Noryl®
-
Polycarbonate
-
ABS
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
-
Kydex®
-
PVC
-
PETG
-
Acrylic
Temperature Resistance
-
Radel R®
-
Ultem®
-
Polysulfone
-
Polycarbonate
-
Noryl®
-
Acrylic
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
-
ABS
-
Kydex®
-
PVC
-
PETG
LOWEST
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
HIGHEST
Cost
-
PPS
-
PEEK
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
PTFE
-
PET
-
PBT
-
Nylon
-
Acetal
-
UHMW-PE
-
HDPE
-
LDPE
-
Polypropylene
Temperature Resistance
-
PPS
-
Nylon
-
Acetal
-
PBT
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
PTFE
-
PET
-
Polypropylene
-
HDPE
-
LDPE
LOWEST
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
HIGHEST
Cost
-
Vespel® Polyimide Shapes
-
PAI (polyamide -imide)
Temperature Resistance
-
Vespel® Polyimide Shapes
-
PAI (polyamide -imide
LOWEST

3. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL STRENGTH
IS TENSILE STRENGTH ( RESISTANCE TO BEING PULLED APART) IMPORTANT
AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
TENSILE STRENGTH PULL APART - (psi)
-
Ultem®
-
Polysulfone
-
Radel R®
-
Acryli
-
Noryl®
-
Polycarbonate
-
PETG
-
PVC
-
Kydex®
-
ABS
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
15,200
10,200
10,100
10,000
9,600
9,500
7,700
7,500
6,100
4,100
3,500
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
TENSILE STRENGTH PULL APART - (psi)
-
PEEK
-
Nylon (6 cast)
-
PPS
-
Nylon (6/6 extruded)
-
PET 11,500
-
Acetal (Homopolymer)
-
Acetal (Copolymer)
-
PBT
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
Polypropylene (Homopolymer)
-
HDPE
-
Polypropylene (Copolymer)
-
UHMW-PE
-
PTFE
-
LDPE
14,000
10,000-13,500
12,500
12,400
11,500
10,000
9,800
8,690
7,800
5,400
4,000
3,800
3,100
1,500-3,000
1,400
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
TENSILE STRENGTH PULL APART - (psi)
-
PAI (polyamide-imide)
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-1
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-21
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-3
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-22
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-211
21,000
12,500
9,500
8,200
7,500
6,500

4. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
IS FLEXURAL MODULUS ( BENDING STIFFNESS) IMPORTANT?
AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
FLEXURAL MODULUS stiffness (psi)
-
PPS
-
PEEK
-
Nylon (6 cast)
-
Acetal (Homopolymer)
-
Nylon (6/6 extruded)
-
PET
-
Acetal (Copolymer)
-
PBT
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
Polypropylene (Homopolymer)
-
Polypropylene (Copolymer)
-
HDPE
-
UHMW-PE
-
PTFE
-
LDPE
6,00,000
5,90,000
420,000 - 500,000
420,000
410,000
400,000
370,000
330,000
310,000
225,000
215,000
200,000
110,000
72,000
30,000
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
-
PAI (polyamide-imide)
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-22
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-21
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-3
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-211
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-1
711,000
700,000
550,000
475,000
450,000
450,000
FLEXURAL MODULUS stiffness (psi)
FLEXURAL MODULUS stiffness (psi)
-
Ultem® (30% glass-filled)
-
Polycarbonate (20% glass-filled)
-
PVC
-
Ultem®
-
Acrylic
-
Polysulfone
-
Noryl®
-
Radel R®
-
Polycarbonate
-
Kydex®
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
-
PETG
-
ABS
1,300,000
8,00,000
4,81,000
4,80,000
4,80,000
3,90,000
3,70,000
3,50,000
3,45,000
3,35,000
3,10,000
3,10,000
3,04,000

5. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
IS IZOD IMPACT( TOUGHNESS ) IMPORTANT?
AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
IZOD IMPACT (notched) - toughness(ft-ls/in)
-
Kydex®
-
Polycarbonate
-
Radel R®
-
ABS
-
Noryl®
-
Polystyrene (HIPS)
-
PETG
-
Polysulfone
-
Ultem®
-
PVC
-
Acrylic
18
12.0 - 16.0
13
7.7
3.5
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
1.0
0.4
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
IZOD IMPACT (notched) - toughness(ft-ls/in)
-
LDPE
-
UHMW-PE
-
Polypropylene (Copolymer)
-
PTFE
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
-
PEEK
-
PBT
-
Acetal (Homopolymer)
-
Polypropylene (Homopolymer)
-
Nylon (6/6 extruded)
-
Acetal (Copolymer)
-
Nylon (6 cast)
-
PET
-
PPS
no break
18.0
12.5
3.5
3.0
1.6
1.5
1.5
1.2
1.2
1.0
0.7-0.9
0.7
0.5
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
IZOD IMPACT (notched) - toughness(ft-ls/in)
-
PAI (polyamide-imide)
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-21
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-1
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-3
2.3
0.8
0.8
0.4
6. COMPARE THE PROPERTIES
IS DIELECTRIC STRENGTH( ELECTRICAL INSULATION ) IMPORTANT?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
DIELECTRIC STRENGTH - insulation (v/mil)
-
Ultem®
-
PVC
-
Kydex®
-
Noryl®
-
Acrylic
-
Polysulfone
-
PETG
-
Polycarbonate
-
Radel R®
830
544
514
500
430
425
410
380
360
SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
DIELECTRIC STRENGTH - insulation (v/mil)
-
Nylon (6 cast)
-
Acetal (Homopolymer)
-
Acetal (Copolymer)
-
PTFE
-
PEEK
-
PPS
-
PET
-
PBT
-
Nylon (6/6 extruded)
-
PVDF (Kynar®)
500-600
500
500
400-500
480
450
400
400
300-400
280
IMIDIZED MATERIALS
DIELECTRIC STRENGTH - insulation (v/mil)
-
PAI (polyamide-imide)
-
Vespel® Polyimide SP-1
600
560