Victrex - PEEK - Victrex plc

Kunststoffe international, Delivering Efficiency Even in Harsh Environments
...n requirements. Whilst, as a medical implant, biocompatibility, wear resistance and modulus close to bone are among the most important performance criteria. The PEEK supplier with the worldwide highest production capacity of more than 7000 t/a is Victrex plc., Thornton-Cleveleys, United Kingdom. Focusing on PEEK products for industrial and implantable medical devices, the group of companies not only pioneers new grades but also develops product forms and parts for selected industries and applic...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding PEEK
...le overlapping tensile shear test adapted from DIN 53281. For each surface treatment, the tensile shear strength was measured ten times and the arithmetic mean calculated. The study was performed on polyether ether ketone PEEK 450 G (manufacturer: Victrex plc, UK) using standardised, injection-moulded tensile rods (DIN 53455). The adhesive was a two-component epoxy resin system (grade: Araldite AV138M + HV998, manufacturer: Ciba Speciality Chemicals, Basle/Switzerland). Surface Analysis The un...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Blends Made to Measure
...stics, in particular PA, PC, PBT, POM and PPO, as well as increasingly on the high performance plastics PEEK, PAI, LCP, PPS, PPSU, PES, PSU, PEI and PPA. Specialities based on PEEK An important focus of Luvocom activities is on PEEK (manufacturer: Victrex, Hofheim/Germany) based compounds whose speciality portfolio was expanded by Lehmann & Voss. Thorough research has been done in co-operation with the Polymer Engineering Institute (Professor V. Altstädt) during the recent years in investigati...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous Growth: Polyarylether Ketone (PAEK)
... call for cost reduction, functional optimisation, weight reduction, a longer service life and optimised safety and comfort. Wolfgang Reimer Horst Sandner The company that produces the highest tonnage of polyarylether ketone worldwide at present is Victrex plc of Hillhouse/Great Britain, which produces PEEK and PEK under the trade names of Victrex PEEK and Victrex PEEK-HT and markets them in Europe, the USA and the Asian-Pacific region. For a number of years now, other manufacturers producing s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Europe is the Largest Market: Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
...ve solutions in response to the constant demand for cost saving, functional optimisation, weight reduction, longer service life and maximum safety and comfort. The world’s largest quantities of polyaryletherketones are currently being produced by Victrex plc., Hillhouse/UK, in the form of PEEK and PEK, under the trade names Victrex PEEK and Victrex PEEK-HT. They are marketed in Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to Victrex, other manufacturers have been producing...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Exhibition Preview: North American and Canadian Products at K 2004
...istant appliance parts such as oven door handles, toaster housings, and motor housings. Electrically conductive versions for electrostatic dissipation are also in development. More Engineering Resins Victrex will show its new Ultra-High-Purity PEEK for clean-room, pharmaceutical processing, and analytical chemistry applications. Victrex will also present new PEEK-HT film for applications demanding high heat resistance. A truly unique type of engineering resin at K is supplied in the form of a l...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functionality is the Key Factor
...al technology is the micro-sized blood pump from Impella Cardiotechnik AG (title picture to the Medical Technology Special). Key functional components like the rotor, which are subjected to considerable mechanical loads, are now made of PEEK (grade: Victrex PEEK, manufacturer: Victrex, Hofheim/Germany) instead of metal. To generate the necessary pumping power, the rotor turns at 30,000 rpm, which means that the rotor blades must have very high mechanical strength and very low wall thicknesses. I...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-Performance Drives
... holder in high-pressure diaphragm pumps. Here the main demands are on durability at high temperatures and the very good chemical resistance against all fuels. The Author of this Article Dipl.-Ing. Ralf Weidig, born in 1962, is technical manager of Victrex Europa GmbH, Hofheim/ Taunus. Contact: victrex-ralf.weidig@t-online.de Fig. 1. Comparison of volume flow rates of PEEK and metal Fig. 2. PEEK gerotors generate less noise than metal in pumps

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-performance Polymers: Metal Substitution and Miniaturisation
...ned expansion of production capacities and the increased readiness to abandon the old ways in order to capture new areas of application. New Markets for PEEK The company creed to “enter niches” was the driving force behind the R&D aim of the Victrex subsidiary Invibio to develop a new polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for the medical market. In contrast to conventional implant materials, PEEK Classix represents an inexpensive alternative for intracorporal products that are in contact with blood and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials with Multiple Functions
...ree of any contamination. So far the carriers produced by injection moulding have been made of carbon fibre reinforced polypropylene. With increasing requirements on the semiconductor wafer polyether-ether-ketone from Victrex (PEEK) becomes increasingly interesting for production of the carrier (Fig.16). Independent tests showed that PEEK produces extremely small quantities of wear particles compared to other thermoplastics. Furthermore, the carrier can be manufactured with closer tolerances and...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Moulds for Micro-Injection Moulding
...uctures. Mould With 16 Micro-Cavities The deliberations above have been implemented practically in a 16-cavity injection mould for a 6-mm-long flat part that consists of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) containing 30 wt. % glassfibres (grade: Victrex PEEK 4S0 GL 30, manufacturer: Victrex, Hofheim) and weighs 7 mg. Built on standardized plates measuring 156 mm x 156 mm, the mould itself measures 95 mm x 95 mm (Fig.3). The swappable cavity insert is approximately 35 mm x 35 mm x 20 mm. The 16 cavitie...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Noise-Free
... and an initial feasibility analysis was similarly seen to be positive. Support was additionally provided by an FEA calculation (Fig. 1). PEEK as a Material The material selected was the high-performance polymer, polyetheretherketone (PEEK; grade: Victrex PEEK, manufacturer: Victrex, Hofheim). This material displays a good price-to-performance ratio through its specific property combination. It attains a modulus of elasticity in bending (Fig. 2) which, depending on the grade, can even exceed t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
...e addition of carbon fibres, PTFE and graphite. Very high pH values for polymers can therefore be achieved, even in dry running conditions. Manufacturer and Capacity The only polyaryletherketones in the world are manufactured under the trade names Victrex PEEK and Victrex PEK by Victrex plc. of Hillhouse/England. They are marketed in Europe by Victrex Europa GmbH. Thanks to the high demand and large number of new applications, PEEK has expanded since its launch in 1978 to an annual volume of 1...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
... properties to create innovative solutions that meet the ongoing demand for cost reduction combined with optimised functions, weight reduction and extended product lifetimes. Most polyaryletherketones, in terms of volume, are currently produced by Victrex plc. in Hillhouse/UK under the trade names Victrex PEEK and Victrex PEEK-HT, and marketed in Europe by Victrex Europa GmbH. Since its market launch in 1978, PEEK polymer grew to an annual volume of 1603t in 2001 thanks to increased demand res...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Replacing Metals
... crucial mechanical properties are the maximum tooth flank compression and the root strength. These are the main factors in the dimensioning and tooth geometry of the gears. In a comprehensive study conducted with the Technical University of Berlin, Victrex studied the load-bearing strength of pinions of unreinforced (450G) PEEK, as well as antifriction-modified (450FC30) and carbon-fibre reinforced PEEK (450CA30). The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 120°C in engine oil. The...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sealing under Extreme Conditions
...iction coefficient. The solid gaskets that used to be used are quickly worn down, and expensive multilayer metal gaskets with elastomer coatings are currently employed. Applications for PEEK Seals The main application for PEEK seals (manufacturer: Victrex, Hillhouse/Great Britain) lies in the traditional four or five-speed automatic transmissions produced by American automotive manufacturers for torques up to 500 Nm (title photo). These transmissions must perform at high speeds and therefore a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Separating, Sealing, Sliding
...r in the region of the converter. To build in an additional safety factor, PEEK thrust washers are used in many automatic transmissions for cars. Tailored Material Modification For this application, a special PEEK grade (PEEK 450FC30, manufacturer Victrex, Hillhouse/United Kingdom) modified with 10 % each of carbon fibres, graphite and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was developed specially for bearings. The principle advantage of this compound is its very good emergency running properties even...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Heat Resistance: Miniature Electronic Components Produced from PEEK
...rdants in plastics is banned. In some cases, new materials must be used to satisfy the increased thermal and mechanical requirements, especially in functional microengineering parts. Suitable Properties The high-temperature thermoplastic PEEK (Victrex PEEK polymer) from Victrex Europa GmbH, Hofheim/Germany, is an aromatic, semi-crystalline thermoplastic belonging to the polyaryl ether ketone (PAEK) family. This linear polymer offers a unique combination of excellent mechanical, thermal and ele...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Laser Sintering: Functional Prototypes Produced from PEEK
...lyamides for injection moulding. In addition to its excellent mechanical properties, PEEK has very high heat resistance. It can withstand short-term temperature peaks up to 300°C and has a continuous service temperature of 250°C. The manufacturer, Victrex, quotes a heat deflection temperature of 152°C under a load of 1.82N/mm2. PEEK therefore represents an addition to the range of materials already used for laser sintering, particularly in terms of its high strength, stiffness and heat resistanc...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Polyetheretherketone: Material Advantages in Semiconductor Production
...ing and related applications remains active. In some applications, such as wafer carriers, materials such as polypropylene or PBT have traditionally been employed but have limitations. However, high performance polyaryletherketones such as Victrex PEEK polymer, deliver a combination of significantly better dimensional stability, high temperature performance, wear/abrasion resistance, higher abrasion resistance, and lower particle generation. PEEK also maintains very stable physical properties in...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-19, Value Creation Extended
Value Creation Extended Being a producer of raw materials, Victrex plc. in Thornton Cleveleys (GB), has started operation of the first large-scale plant to exclusively produce high-performance flat films based upon polyether etherketone (PEEK). Kunststoffe Editor-in-Chief Gerhard Gotzmann has talked to Victrex Chief Executive David Hummel about the reasons for now producing the films in addition to the raw material. Kunststoffe: Why did you decide to become a processor? Do you see any advant...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
Polyaryletherketones (PAEK) Increasing Demand (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) Worldwide demand for PAEK continues to increase at an annual rate of approx. 15%. In addition to Victrex, the world’s largest producer of PAEK, two new suppliers, Degussa and Solvay, have appeared on the scene to develop additional applications. Wolfgang Reimer and Horst Sandner Back in 1981, British ICI launched two linear aromatic semi-crystalline thermoplastics, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyetherketone (...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Plastic Housing on an Engine Test Stand
...s were investigated, leading ultimately to consideration of two polymers as favored candidates for the application: polyetheretherketone with 30% carbon fibers (PEEK CF30%), an easy-flowing thermoplastic suitable for injection molding (manufacturer: Victrex Plc, Lancashire, United Kingdom; grade: 150CA30) and polyphenylenesulfide with 40% glass fibers (PPS GF40%; grade: Tedur L9510-1; manufacturer: Albis Plastic GmbH, Hamburg, Germany). PEEK belongs to the group of high-temperature thermoplastic...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Streets ahead of Injection Molding
... PA6 and PA66), as well as in a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). Tests with the high-performance plastics PEI (grade: Ultem; manufacturer: Sabic Innovative Plastics), PPSU (grade: Radel R; manufacturer: Solvay GmbH) and PEEK (grade: Victrex PEEK; manufacturer: Victrex plc) produced strips in a quality that cannot be attained through the conventional form of production by injection molding or extrusion. A large number of special injection molding techniques can be implemented with exje...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, Safer Oil and Gas Drilling
...-Hand system". This system consists of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, extremely rugged handheld computers, readers and software modules. The material used for the housing of the RFID tags is the high-performance polymer PEEK (grade: Victrex PEEK Polymer, manufacturer: Victrex plc). The particular advantages of this material are its high thermal stability and resistance to physical and chemical stresses, which allow it to cope with the extreme conditions in the downhole environme...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polyaryletherketones (PAEKs)
Apioneer in PAEK highperformance polymers, Victrex was formed in 1993 through a management buy-out from ICI. ICI had already launched two lineararomatic thermoplastics – polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyetherketone (PEK) – in 1981. Victrex plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, today has production facilities in the UK and sales organizations in Europe, America, the Asia-Pacific region and Japan. Its range of over 40 products has become highly complex: various fill...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Facilitating Technical Life
...o prominent references for this insulating material: the 395-series high-speed trains from Hitachi for the Southeastern Railway in Great Britain and the new Shinkansen E5 at the East Japan Railway. Hall 5, booth C21 and D21 Victrex Europa PEEK Specialties Victrex Europa GmbH, Hofheim, Germany, is showing a number of innovations and solutions from the fields of composites, laser sintering, clothing, films and coatings. As lightweight construction modules, Victrex PEEK polymers ought to help impro...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, Economic Multilayers
... the high thermal stresses encountered in the soldering process, the four high-temperature thermoplastics polyetherimide (PEI), polyethersulfone (PES), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS; manufacturer: Ticona) and polyetherether ketone (PEEK; manufacturer: Victrex) come closest to matching this requirement profile for the matrix material (Table 3) as compared with other thermoplastic polymers. Their only problem is much higher thermal expansion than conventional substrates based on FR4, which are reinfo...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polyaryletherketone (PAEK)
...r the whole of 2009 indicating that in the current year a new record will be reached. In 2010 around 2,730 tonnes of PEEK were sold. In the first half of 2011 offtake was around 1,600 t. The largest market share by far is held by the British company Victrex, followed by Evonik and Solvay, who only added PEEK to their polymer portfolio in the last few years. Victrex plc, Thornton Cleveleys, United Kingdom, is the only one of the three to have focused exclusively on the manufacture of PAEKs and ha...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Innovative, Cost-Efficient, Eco-Friendly
...ods for thermoset matrix systems and achieves comparable mechanical properties, while offering the additional advantages of post-formability, recyclability, and machinability. The use of high-performance thermoplastics such as PEEK, for example from Victrex plc, Lancashire, UK, instead of steel or light metals makes it possible to develop components that are up to 80 % lighter but still have the necessary mechanical strength and stiffness, so further expanding the potential of thermoplastic FRP....

Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Mobility of the Future
... subject to the highest thermal and mechanical loads. Plastics have deficits in the mechanical properties which have to be compensated by geometric properties, e.g. increases in wall thickness. Uwe Koch-Reuß (Victrex Europa GmbH) and Detlef Tiedtke (Sodecia, FSG, Burgwedel, Germany) presented a gearbox shift fork (Fig 3) that reduces the gearbox weight by a total of 1 kg. Four shift forks are generally used in a standard gearbox. Dimensioning was carried out by means of structural analysis. PEEK...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
...ce and automotive industry. The aerospace industry and especially the oil and gas industry are also relying on this high-performance material. To meet todays individual and increasingly challenging requirements, the world’s leading PAEK supplier, Victrex plc, Lancashire, UK, with global reach, deploys its extensive experience and new developments/advancements along with its established, comprehensive product portfolio. These include Victrex PEEK polymer, Victrex HT, Victrex ST and Victrex WG, A...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Does Size Matter?
... LSR2740; manufacturer: Momentive Performance Materials Inc. in Columbus, OH, USA).Best adhesion was achieved with PBT (grade: Ultradur (Pro) B 4520; manufacturer: BASF SE in Ludwigshafen, Germany) and PEEK (grade: Victrex 151 G; manufacturer: Victrex plc in Thornton-Cleveleys, UK) in combination with plasma treatment. Thanks to the excellent adhesion properties, a force increase of 67 % is required to achieve cohesive failure in the case of PBT with 1 mm as well as 2 mm LSR. However, although t...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
... features include high strength and stiffness, hydrolysis resistance, resistance to aggressive substances and excellent tribological properties. Manufacturers, Capacities, ProductionAcross key markets, mega-trends support the use of PAEK materials. Victrex plc, Thornton-Cleveleys, United Kingdom, is a manufacturer of PEEK. At its headquarters, the production capacity exceeds 7000 t/a. Its PEEK products comprise granules, composites, coatings, films and pipes, and biomaterials from Victrex subsid...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-10-13, Polyetheretherketones (PEEK)
... production cost efficiencies.Compared to metals, PEEK-based materials are light in weight, easily processed, resistant to corrosion and can have considerably higher specific strength (strength per unit weight). Since the first commercialization of "Victrex PEEK" in the 1980s, continuous development from Victrex plc, Thornton-Cleveleys, UK, has resulted in material and technology advances today that have changed and increased the use of the polymers.Today, a broad range of industries, including ...