How is PEEK plastic manufactured

According to leading PEEK plastic manufactures and PEEK plastic Suppliers, PEEK (poly-ether ketone) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic that can withstand high temperatures. In 1982, ICI came up with the idea for PEEK. This polymer may be used constantly at temperatures up to 250°C (480°F) and in hot water or steam without losing its physical characteristics permanently. When exposed to flame, PEEK  produces extremely little smoke and hazardous gas emissions, earning it a V-0 flammability grade. Traditional techniques such as injection moulding, extrusion, compression moulding, and powder coating can be used to process it.

PEEK Production Methodology

As  PEEK plastic Manufactures say , PEEK plastic is made in a number of different ways. Bisphenolate reacts with difluorobenzophenone to produce PEEK raw material, and the use the extrusion or the compression molding to produce PEEK rod, PEEK sheet, PEEK tube, which is the traditional technique.

Because of its insolubility, PEEK must be synthesized under precise reaction conditions, like through nucleophilic substitution of 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone with hydrocortisone in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate in the presence of microwave irradiation. This procedure is carried out in a three-necked flask with Dean-Stark trap, condenser, nitrogen input, and mechanical stirrer. 1.31 g of 4,4′- difluorobenzophenone, 0.66 g of hydrocortisone, and 1.24 g of K2CO3 must be dissolved in 15 ml of solvent and 35 ml of toluene, respectively. Toluene aids in the removal of water. The flask is then placed in a microwave with a maximum power of 700W and a frequency of 2455 MHz. This procedure must be carried out in a nitrogen environment with continual stirring.

The temperature should be kept between 80 and 110°C (176-230°F) during the first stages of polymerization, and the reaction mixture should be heated under re-flux for 20 minutes. Azeotropic distillation is used to eliminate the water produced during the phenate production process. The temperature must be maintained at 110-130°C (230-266°F) for 15 minutes after the water has been removed. Toluene is also removed at this point during the distillation process. The reaction is then kept at a temperature of 180-200°C (356-392°F) for a period of time. The substance is boiled in water and then extracted with methanol using the Soxhlet method. The polymer should be cleaned with caution to ensure that the solvent and inorganic salts are fully eliminated. The polymer is subsequently dried for 24 hours under vacuum at 100°C (212°F).

Applications

According to leading PEEK plastic Manufactures, Bearings, piston components, pumps, high-performance liquid chromatography columns, compressor plate valves, and electrical wire insulation are just a few of the things made with PEEK sheet. 

According to leading PEEK plastic Manufactures and PEEK plastic Suppliers, PEEK tube is utilized in medical implants, such as producing a partial replacement skull in neurosurgical applications using a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Spinal fusion devices and reinforcing rods are made of PEEK rod. It’s radiolucent, but because it’s hydrophobic, it doesn’t entirely merge with bone. In fluid applications, PEEK sheet seals and manifolds are widely utilized. 

PEEK has a wide range of uses in a number of sectors, including oil and petroleum environments, electronics, nuclear, automotive, marine, medical, general industrial, and aerospace.