Partially Aromatic Polyamides
Partially aromatic polyamides are high-strength, high-heat polymers with low moisture absorption and broad chemical resistance. They are compounded with glass or carbon fibers to significantly improve mechanical properties, making them suitable for structural applications.
Kalix® HPPA
Kalix® HPPA (high-performance polyamides) is a family of highly glass-filled compounds designed for structural components used in mobile smart devices and medical equipment. The material’s high strength, rigidity and good surface finish make it a fit for medical equipment components such as housings, covers, chassis and frames. Kalix® HPPA is compatible with commonly used cleaners and disinfectants that cause lower performing plastics to fail, and it is compatible with modified PC/ABS molds. Processing improvements include lower warpage, reduced shrinkage, and low to no flash.
Key Performance Properties:
- High strength and rigidity
- Good surface finish
- Compatible with modified PC/ABS molds
- UL 94 V-0 rating
- Colorability
Ixef® PARA
Ixef® PARA (polyarylamide) compounds uniquely combine high stiffness and strength with an exceptional surface finish, even with 50-60% glass fiber reinforcement. Ixef® PARA serves as an excellent material for metal replacement in medical equipment applications, as it also exhibits exceptional resistance to a range of common hospital disinfectants and chemicals. Ixef® PARA solutions are used in medical hinges, latches, bag holders and structural components of hemodialysis machines.
Key Performance Properties:
- Very high stiffness and strength
- Broad chemical resistance
- High flow for complex shapes
- High gloss, glass-free surface finish
- Best candidate for metal replacement
- UL 94 V-0 rating
Amodel® PPA
Amodel® PPA (polyphthalamide) is a family of high-performance polyamides that outperforms standard polyamides by offering higher strength and stiffness at elevated temperatures, better dimensional stability in high humidity, and greater resistance to a broader range of chemicals. PPA exhibits excellent dimensional stability and high impact strength. Typical applications include equipment handles as well as latches and back panels of infusion pumps.
Key Performance Properties:
- High-heat strength and stiffness
- Dimensional stability
- Broad chemical resistance
- High impact strength
- UL 94 V-0 rating
Sulfone Polymers
Sulfone polymers are a family of high-heat, transparent thermoplastics that offer more toughness, strength, and hydrolytic stability than other transparent plastics. Extraordinary, inherent flame retardancy and high transparency.
Radel® PPSU
Radel® PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) is an incredibly tough, high-heat, transparent plastic that has replaced metal, ceramics and glass in the healthcare industry for over 30 years. It is inherently flame retardant and can withstand prolonged and repeated exposure to aggressive surface disinfectants, moisture, and high temperatures and still absorb tremendous impact without cracking or breaking. Radel® PPSU retains its high mechanical properties and pristine appearance over time, making it an excellent candidate range of medical equipment applications such as mobile device housings, connectors, impellers, and reagent trays, as well as racks and vial holders for in-vitro diagnostics.
Key Performance Properties:
- Transparency
- Superior toughness and impact strength
- Resistant to strong disinfectants
- Compatible with ultrasonic welding and silicon overmolding
- Inherently flame retardant
- Good electrical properties
- Transparent and opaque colors
Veradel® PESU
Veradel® PESU (polyethersulfone) offers the highest stiffness of our sulfone polymers. The material retains its transparency, mechanical properties and dimensional stability in high-heat environments and is compatible with a wide range of cleaning and disinfecting agents. PESU is inherently flame retardant and is an excellent fit for high-temperature electrical components. Other applications include pump-housing components for hemodialysis machines and transparent sensor housings.
Key Performance Properties:
- Better transparency that PEI
- Higher heat resistance than PSU
- Resistant to strong disinfectants
- High flow rate for intricate geometries
- Excellent electrical properties
- Transparent and opaque colors
Udel® PSU
Udel® PSU (polysulfone) is a transparent thermoplastic that offers higher heat resistance and better hydrolytic stability than PC. The material retains its toughness, strength, and dimensional stability at high temperatures and after prolonged or repeated exposure to commonly used cleaners and disinfectants. Typical applications include medical equipment housings, connectors, couplings, humidifier housings, and PEEP chambers.
Key Performance Properties:
- Transparency
- Resistant to strong disinfectants
- Higher heat resistance and better hydrolytic stability than PC
- Low creep under sustained loads at high temperatures
- Transparent and opaque colors
Ultra Polymers
Ultra polymers are ultra-high performance plastics that thrive in extreme environments. They offer varying combinations of superior performance properties, including excellent resistance to chemicals, creep, fatigue and wear. They are inherently flame retardant and deliver exceptional performance at elevated temperatures.
AvaSpire® PAEK
AvaSpire® PAEK is a family of customized, high-performance polyketones tailored to fill cost-performance gaps between PEEK and other high-performance polymers. Depending on the grade, AvaSpire® PAEK can outperform comparable grades of PEEK, delivering higher stiffness from 150-190°C (302-374°F), equal or better chemical resistance and improved ductility and toughness. AvaSpire® PAEK is particularly suited for structural components, including autoclavable battery housings.
Key Performance Properties vs. PEEK
- Higher stiffness from 150-190°C (302-374°F)
- Improved ductility and toughness
- Equal or better chemical resistance than PEEK
- UL 94 V-0 rating at 0.8 mm
- Comparable strength and stiffness at up to 30% lower cost
- Excellent aesthetics and colorability
KetaSpire® PEEK
KetaSpire® PEEK offers the best combination of fatigue resistance and chemical resistance. It can operate at high temperatures and retains its excellent mechanical properties at continuous-use temperatures up to 240°C (464°F), allowing it to replace metal in severe end-use environments. Glass fiber-reinforced and carbon-fiber-reinforced grades provide a wide range of performance options. KetaSpire® PEEK is used in an array of medical equipment applications, including flow cell chip holders for genome sequencers, heat exchangers in hemodialysis machines and more.
Key Performance Properties:
- Retains excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures
- Exceptional chemical resistance
- Best-in-class fatigue resistance
- Superior wear resistance
- Excellent dimensional stability
