MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

1. GET IN THE RIGHT GROUP WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE APPLICATION?

GENERAL GROUP CHARACTERISTICS 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)

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 (as well as structural applications)

IMIDIZED MATERIALS
Best physical properties above 400F Best temperature resistance Best bearing and wear capabilities Good chemical resistance

POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES

ABS Acrylic Kydex Noryl PETG Polycarbonate Polystyrene (HIPS) Polysulfone PVC Radel R Ultem

POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES

Acetal HDPE LDPE Nylon PBT PEEK PET Polypropylene PPS PTFE PVDF (Kynar) UHMW-PE

POTENTIAL MATERIAL CHOICES

PAI (polyamide-imide) Vespel Polyimide Shapes

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.

MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

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2. CHOOSE THE BEST FAMILY IS TEMPERATURE A FACTOR? HOW CRITICAL IS COST?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
HIGHEST

SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
HIGHEST

IMIDIZED MATERIALS
HIGHEST

Cost Ultem Radel R Polysulfone Noryl ABS Polystyrene (HIPS) Kydex PVC PETG Acrylic

Temperature Resistance (HDT) Radel R Ultem Polysulfone Polycarbonate Noryl Acrylic Polystyrene (HIPS) ABS Kydex PVC PETG LOWEST

Cost PPS PEEK PVDF (Kynar) PTFE PET PBT Nylon Acetal UHMW-PE HDPE LDPE Polypropylene

Temperature Resistance (HDT) PPS Nylon Acetal PBT PVDF (Kynar) PTFE PET Polypropylene HDPE LDPE

Cost Vespel Polyimide Shapes PAI (polyamide -imide)

Temperature Resistance (HDT) Vespel Polyimide Shapes PAI (polyamide -imide)

Polycarbonate

LOWEST

LOWEST

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MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA (SQ. IN.)
LOAD (LBS .)

(LB LOAD

S.)

TH LENG INAL ORIG

CHANGE IN LENGTH

3. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IS TENSILE STRENGTH (RESISTANCE TO BEING PULLED APART) IMPORTANT?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
Tensile strength - pull apart (psi) Ultem Polysulfone Radel R Acrylic 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 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

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LOAD (LBS.) NEUTRAL AXIS (NO STRESS) SQUEEZING

STRETCHING

4. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IS FLEXURAL MODULUS (BENDING STIFFNESS) IMPORTANT?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
Flexural modulus - stiffness (psi) Ultem (30% glass-filled)

SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
Flexural modulus - stiffness (psi) PPS 600,000 590,000 420,000-500,000 420,000 410,000 400,000 370,000 330,000

IMIDIZED MATERIALS
Flexural modulus - stiffness (psi) PAI (polyamide-imide) Vespel Polyimide SP-22 Vespel Polyimide SP-21 Vespel Polyimide SP-3 Vespel Polyimide SP-1 711,000 700,000 550,000 475,000 450,000

1,300,000 800,000 481,000 480,000 480,000 390,000 370,000 350,000 345,000 335,000 310,000 310,000 304,000

PEEK Nylon (6 cast) Acetal (Homopolymer) Nylon (6/6 extruded) PET Acetal (Copolymer) PBT PVDF (Kynar ) Polypropylene (Copolymer) HDPE UHMW-PE PTFE LDPE

Polycarbonate (20% glass-filled) PVC Ultem

Vespel Polyimide SP-211 450,000

Acrylic Polysulfone Noryl Radel R Polycarbonate Kydex Polystyrene (HIPS) PETG ABS

310,000 215,000 200,000 110,000 72,000 30,000

Polypropylene (Homopolymer) 225,000

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MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

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5. COMPARE THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IS IZOD IMPACT (TOUGHNESS) IMPORTANT?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
Izod impact (notched) - toughness (ft-lbs/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-lbs/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-lbs/in) PAI (polyamide-imide) Vespel Polyimide SP-21 Vespel Polyimide SP-1 Vespel Polyimide SP-3 2.3 0.8 0.8 0.4

MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

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VOLTAGE

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 )

IMIDIZED MATERIALS
Dielectric strength - insulation (v/mil) PAI (polyamide-imide) Vespel Polyimide SP-1 600 560

500-600 500 500 400-500 480 450 400 400 300-400 280

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MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

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7. THINK ABOUT THE APPLICATION - IS FDA COMPLIANCE IMPORTANT?

AMORPHOUS THERMOPLASTICS
FDA compliant grades available: Acrylic PETG Polycarbonate Polysulfone PVC Radel R

SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
FDA compliant grades available: Acetal HDPE LDPE Nylon PBT PEEK PET Polypropylene PTFE PVDF (Kynar) UHMW-PE

The virgin, natural, unfilled formulations of the sheet, rod, tube, and film products listed here are available from Curbell Plastics, Inc. in grades that comply with one or more of the FDAs guidelines for direct food contact at room temperature.

It is important to specify FDA compliant material at the time of the order to ensure that FDA compliant material is provided.

Polystyrene (HIPS) Ultem

8. THINK ABOUT THE APPLICATION - IS CHEMICAL RESISTANCE IMPORTANT?

SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS
Good chemical resistance: Acetal HDPE LDPE Nylon PBT PEEK PET Polypropylene PPS PTFE PVDF (Kynar) UHMW-PE

IMIDIZED MATERIALS
Good chemical resistance: PAI (polyamide-imide) Vespel Polyimide Shapes
See pages 76-77 for more specific information

See pages 76-77 for more specific information

MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE

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