 Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC, has introduced the AvaSpire® AV-600 series, a new line of modified polyetheretherketone (PEEK) grades that offer enhanced performance in several key areas versus standard PEEK. These proprietary PEEK-based formulations allow OEMs to attain the high level of performance they need at a price that is lower than comparable PEEK grades. ''OEMs and processors are drawn to the differentiated performance of AvaSpire AV-600 products because they provide a cost-effective solution for high-performance applications where PEEK is over specified,' explains Jamal El-Hibri, senior research associate, Solvay Advanced Polymers. AvaSpire AV-600 grades offer significantly improved ductility and toughness. This is most apparent in unfilled grades which exhibit a 20% higher tensile elongation at yield along with tensile elongation at break values that are at least twice as high as comparable PEEK grades. This can benefit interference-fit assemblies, also known as press-fit assemblies, and help manage the stress inherent to designs with unavoidable sharp corners.
Unfilled AV-600 grades offer an improved vertical flammability rating, achieving a UL94 V0 rating at 0.8 mm thickness. Another key feature of AV-600 products is higher stiffness between 150°C and 190°C (302°F and 374°F). The modulus of unfilled AvaSpire AV-651 is about twice that of comparable PEEK material at 180°C (356°F), and the modulus of AV-651 GF30 (a 30% glass-reinforced grade) is 30% higher than a comparable PEEK grade at this same temperature. The material's higher thermal performance extends the useful range of PEEK-based compounds above 150°C (302°F), which until today has been the practical upper limit for standard unfilled PEEK. Most AV-600 products offer chemical resistance that is nearly equivalent to that of PEEK. The resin's light uniform color provides prime part aesthetics and excellent colorability, which combines with improved ductility and toughness to provide an excellent fit for many healthcare and aerospace applications. Other targeted end uses include oil and gas exploration and production, semiconductors, and transportation.
These PEEK-based compounds have also demonstrated processing advantages over standard PEEK, including reduced warpage and improved ability to achieve tight dimensional tolerances. Their melt viscosities are similar to PEEK and they can be easily extruded into films of various thicknesses. The AV-600 series consists of eight standard grades that are suitable for injection molding and/or extrusion. There are three unfilled grades (AV-650, AV-651, and AV-621), three 30% glass-reinforced grades (AV-650 GF30, AV-651 GF30, and AV-621 GF30), and two 30% carbon-reinforced materials (AV-621 CF30 and AV-651 CF30). The AV-600 series with its enhanced performance over standard PEEK at a lower cost complements the company's AV-700 series of AvaSpire modified PEEK materials, which offer comparable performance to standard PEEK at up to a 30% cost reduction.
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