PleaseNote:Formore informationregardingthepropertiesof the
polymers listedbelow,pleaserefertowww.idex-hs.com/materials.
Find refractive index data onpages 62 and70; gas permeability
dataonpages 75–76.
Delrin
®
(acetal).Delrinexhibits excellent chemical resistance tomost
organic solvents as well as tomost neutral-pH aqueous solvents.
However, it is not suitable for use with acids, bases or oxidizing
agents. This polymer’s high tensile strength yields superior, highly
wear-resistant threads andexcellent thread strength.
FEP
(fluorinated ethylene-propylene)
and
PFA
(perfluoroalkoxy
alkane). Bothof thesepolymers are in the same family as PTFE, and
as such are inert to virtually all chemicals used inHPLC. However,
becauseof their relative softness and lowdurability, thesepolymers
aregenerallyused for lowpressureapplications.ChoosePFA forhigh
purityapplications, or chooseFEPas ageneral, all-purposematerial.
BothFEPandPFAhavegood thread strength.
Halar
®
ECTFE
(ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene).Halar isamemberof
thefluoropolymer family. Itoffersexcellentchemical resistancecoupled
with amechanical strength superior tomany other fluoropolymers.
Halar alsooutperforms PTFE and similar fluoropolymers in ability to
withstand radiation, making it an attractive alternative formedical
applications. Itsexceptionallysmoothsurfaceenhancesoptical clarity
while also helpingprevent the sheddingof microparticles into the
fluid stream.
PCTFE
(polychloro-trifluoroethylene). PCTFEhas excellent chemical
resistance. Ingeneral, only THF and a fewhalogenated solventswill
reactwith it.This resilientfluoropolymer is ideal forfittingsandsealing
surfaces andalsohasgood thread strength.
PEEK
(polyetheretherketone). PEEKpolymer is theflagshipmember
of the poly(aryl)ether ketone family of polymers. It has excellent
chemical resistance tovirtuallyall commonlyusedsolvents.However,
the followingsolventsareusuallynotrecommended forusewithPEEK:
nitric acid; sulfuric acid; halogenatedacids, suchas hydrofluoric acid
andhydrobromic acid (hydrochloric acid is approved for use inmost
applications); andpure halogenatedgases. Additionally, due to a
swellingeffect, be cautious inusing the following solventswithPEEK
tubing: methylene chloride, THF, andDMSO in any concentration
andacetonitrile inhigher concentrations. Excellent thread strength.
PK
A proprietary polymer blend comprisedmainly of polyether-
etherketone (PEEK). PKdemonstrates all of the superior chemical
resistanceofPEEK (seePEEKabove).Theproprietaryblendhowever,
will allowafitting toattainahigher pressurewhile reducing the cold
flowpropertiesof purePEEK.CAUTION: somefittingsmoldedof PK
areknown tobeconductive.UsecautionwhenemployingPKfittings
inhigh voltageapplications.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a relatively soft polymer commonly
used in lowpressure applications, and is especiallyprevalent in IVD
and similar equipment. Polypropylene is excellent for aqueous
solutions; however, it shouldnot beusedwith chlorinated, aromatic,
and someorganic solvents. Fair thread strength.
PPS
(polyphenylene sulfide). PPS is a resilient polymer known for
its high tensile strength andexcellent chemical resistance. PPSmay
be safely used at room temperaturewithmost organic solvents and
neutral-to-highpHaqueoussolvents.However, it isnotrecommended
for usewith chlorinated solvents, inorganic acids, or any solvent at
elevated temperatures.
Radel
®
(polyphenylsulphone).Radel isanamorphous thermopolymer
that ismechanically strongandoffersgood chemical resistance. This
polymer withstands repeated autoclave sterilization cycles without
suffering thermal breakdown. This property, coupledwith its optical
clarity,makesRadel tubinganexcellent choice formedical andother
applicationswherevisualmonitoring isessential.Radel isalsoa readily
wettedmaterial,minimizingairbubbleaccumulationonthe innerwalls
of tubingmanufacturedwith thispolymer.
ETFE
(ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene).Asamemberofthefluoropolymer
family, ETFEhas excellent solvent resistance. Its physical properties
make it ideal fordemandingsealingapplications.Whilemostcommonly
usedsolventsdonot interactwithETFE, takecautionwhenusingsome
chlorinatedchemicals. ETFEhasgood thread strength.
UHMWPE
(ultra-highmolecularweightpolyethylene).UHMWPE isa
well-knownanddurablemanufacturingpolymer. Itsphysicalproperties
make it ideal forgeneral, aqueous-basedenvironments.Takecaution
whenusing thispolymer inheavilyorganic-basedapplications.Good
thread strength.
Ultem
®
PEI
(polyetherimide).Anamorphousthermoplasticofferinghigh
heat resistance, high strength, andbroadchemical resistance. Tubing
made fromUltemoffers ahighdegreeof transparency. Thispolymer
withstandsvarious sterilizationmethods, suchas repeatedautoclaving
aswell asgamma radiation, ethyleneoxidegas, anddryheat. Ultem
meets thecriteria for ISO10993, FDA, andUSPClassVI certification.
Vespel
®
(polyimide).Vespel thermoplasticoffershighheat resistance,
highmechanical strength, and broad chemical resistance inmost
common liquidchromatographyapplications.However, it isparticularly
susceptibletoattackbyhighpHchemicalenvironments.Vespelcanbe
autoclavedandsterilizedusinggammaradiation.Vespeloffers inherent
lubricity,making it ideal as achemically resistant bearing surface.
RoHSCompliance
Search forRoHSatwww.idex-hs.com.For itemsnot
included in thecatalog,pleasecontact IDEXHealth&Sciencedirectly.
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TECHNICALRESOURCES
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Polymer Information
