Applications of High Temperature Thermoplastics

Automotive

High temperature thermoplastics are used to manufacture demanding applications in the automotive industry. The most valued properties are the high heat resistance, dimensional stability, strength, and resistance to a range of chemicals. These properties have led to the replacement of traditional materials such as metal and thermosets. The use of plastics in general has grown in the last decade primarily due to its lightness and resulting greater fuel efficiency. Plastics also offer:

Greater design flexibility
Reduced development time, and
Lower assembly costs

Automotive is the largest market sector for high temperature thermoplastics such as PPS, PEI, and PEEK.

Future trends will continue to be influenced by cost and weight reductions. Environmental considerations will also play an increasingly important role in terms of life cycle cost. There will be an increased need to recycle plastics at the end of the motor vehicle’s life. There will also be increasing demands for higher quality materials and greater use of safety, comfort, and aesthetic features.

For the automotive industry high heat thermoplastics are used to manufacture:
Automotive Application

Piston components
Seals
Washers
Bearings
Transmission components
Transmission thrust washers
Braking and air conditioning systems
ABS brake systems engineer control systems
Truck oil screens
Starting disks in gears, etc.

Aerospace

In the aerospace market, PEEK polymers are replacing aluminum and other metals in a wide range of applications. The polymer combines outstanding physical and thermal characteristics with light weight and ease of processing. High numbers of large volume components with fine tolerances can be cost-effectively formed and used without assembly or modification. Applications for PEEK in the aerospace industry include:

Critical engine parts as the polymer can withstand high temperatures and the tribological interaction of dry and lubricated material contacts.

In aircraft exterior parts, PEEK provides excellent resistance to rain erosion, while for aircraft interior components, its inherent flame retardancy and low smoke and toxic gas emission reduce hazard in the event of a fire. In aircraft electrical systems, the polymer is used for manufacture of convoluted tubing to protect wires and fiber optic filaments.

PEEK is also used to protect the wire harnesses used in commercial aircraft engines.

Polyetherimide (PEI) is also a widely used high temperature thermoplastic in the aircraft industry. Main applications include air and fuel valves, food tray containers, steering wheels, interior cladding parts and semi-structural components. PEI is selected for internal aircraft applications for its inherent flame retardancy and low smoke emissions. It also has excellent chemical resistance to fuels and fluids used in the aircraft industry.

PES and PSU are used primarily for aircraft interior and exterior components.

In the aerospace industry, high temperature thermoplastics are used to manufacture:

Airbus interior components
Bow-shaped luggage compartment retainers
Cable conduits
Cable clips
Ventilation wheels inside aviation fans

Suction manifold of aviation pumps
Electrical wire harnesses
Convoluted turbine
Wire insulation
Pump casings
Impellers, etc.

Electrical and Electronics

Important trends that are driving the electrical / electronic industry, which are influencing plastic selection and performance include:

Thin-wall design, as a means of reducing cost.
The ability to meet more stringent technical specifications.
The desire for higher quality and reliability, driven by expected application lifetimes of 5-20 years.
Growing market requirements for flame retardant materials that are either halogen free, or have low halogen content.
Low warpage materials.
Design flexibility and design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA).
Miniaturization, which increases the temperature and mechanical requirements of plastic materials.

Polymers used for high heat electrical applications are:

These high heat polymers are used in electrical applications like:

Wire insulation for high temperature applications
Cable couplings and connectors
Sub-sea connectors
Coaxial connector jacks
Sub-sea controlled environment connectors

Wafer transport carriers
Surface mounted trimming
Potentiometers
Appliance handles
Electrical insulations
IC packaging trays, etc.

Industrial Applications

Industrial applications are very demanding for plastics and are often found in hostile operating conditions. In particular, industrial applications require materials that can withstand sliding friction, high temperatures and have good chemical resistance. Machine elements, for example, are subject to sliding friction (slide bearings, rollers, thrust washers, piston rings, seals) for mechanical engineering, textile industry and office equipment.

Industrial machinery and equipment may have to operate at continuous high temperatures, and be required to have a high degree of resistance to chemicals.

High performance plastics are making inroads into industrial applications that were once the domain of metals and thermosets. Engineering and high performance plastics have a number of advantages over traditional materials due to their flexibility in parts design, ease of processing and lightness. They are also tough, abrasion resistant and can withstand high temperature. Continuous product improvement and innovation means that there will be further scope for growth in many areas of industrial applications in future.

Industrial applications of high heat thermoplastics include:

Impeller wheels for regenerative pumps
Pump rotors
Multi-pin connectors
Glue gun bushings
Quick coupling systems
Laundry system wheels
Conductivity sensors & seals
Compressor valve plates
Heat exchanger parts
Bearings

Medical Applications

The future prospects for high temperature thermoplastics growth in the medical devices market are excellent. Plastics will continue to replace traditional materials for medical devices because of their greater design flexibility and excellent cost/performance characteristics. Also, overall spending on medical devices is expected to show continued growth.

The following high temperature thermoplastics are majorly employed in medical applications:

Polyphenylsulfone (PPS)- for the development of sterilizable containers.
Polyetherimide (PEI)- for both disposable and re-usable medical devices
Polysulfones (PS) and Polyethersulfones (PES)- for parts and membranes for dialyzers; instruments; parts for instruments; surgical theater luminaries; sterilizing boxes; infusion equipment; secretion bottles and reusable syringes.
Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP)- for replacing metal in medical devices in techniques of minimally invasive surgery and microsystem technology.
Polyetheretherketones (PEEK)- for replacing glass, stainless steel and other metals in a growing range of medical applications like dental instruments, endoscopes, dialyzers, handles on dental syringes and sterile boxes that hold root canal files.

Market Sectors & Applications of High Temperature Thermoplastics

Automotive

Aerospace

Electrical and Electronics

Industrial Applications

Medical Applications

Leave a comment