5 Types of Heat-Resistant Plastic That You Can Find Around You

People will mostly think about metals whenever they talk about heat-resistant material. Only a few of them know that plastic also has this property. Most of us only see plastic will melt when we expose it to heat. That’s not completely true. We also can find many types of heat-resistant plastic. Here, we have several plastic types that fall into that category.

1. Polyetherimide (PEI)

PEI is also known as amorphous thermoplastic. This material is commercially available on the market today. It has a high strength level, high chemical and flame resistance, and high melting point. The melting point of this material is 219 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the company uses this material to build a circuit board, aerospace industry, and food sterilization equipment. Thanks to its high melting point, you can find this material on fire blockers and seat covers.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of PEI plastic:

Advantages:

• Higher creep resistance than thermoplastic,
• Suitable for fuels and coolant containers.

Disadvantages:

• It cracks easily when making a contact with polar chlorinated solvents,
• Expensive.

2. Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK)

PEEK can be said to be the most popular heat-resistant plastic material. It has various properties that provide the best protection. PEEK has chemicals, fatigue, wear, creep, and of course, heat resistance. Its durability put it on a different level than other similar materials. Furthermore, it also is adaptable to various environments. Many companies use it to substitute metal material for various applications and equipment. The melting point is also very high (310 degrees Celsius).

One of the unique characteristics of PEEK material is its metal-like durability. Therefore, you can find it on medical devices, car components, and even aircraft exteriors. Even though it has high durability, it doesn’t lose its characteristic of plastic material, which is easy to mold. Therefore, you can use it to create various forms.

Here are several advantages and disadvantages of PEEK:

Advantages:

• Metal-like durability,
• Adaptable to various environments, even the harsh ones,
• Easy to mold,
• Compatible with various machinery and equipment.

Disadvantages:

• It has low durability against UV light and some acidic material.

3. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

You might never hear about PTFE. But, this Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is the material that you might use a lot. You know it as Teflon. Yes, Teflon is not metal, but plastic with very high heat resistance. Its melting point is one of the highest among similar materials, which is at 327 degrees Celsius. Moreover, you can still use it normally between -200 degrees Celsius and +260 degrees Celsius. This specification is the reason PTFE became one of the best choices for heat-resistant plastic material.

However, if you think that PTFE is only available for cooking equipment, you are wrong. PTFE plastic also is the common material on pipes, coat heat exchangers, and various insulation components. Furthermore, it can protect the equipment against rust. So, the equipment can last longer.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of PTFE plastic material:

Advantages:

• High melting point,
• Good weathering resistance,
• Good insulation property for an electrical appliance.

Disadvantages:

• Sensitive to abrasion, radiation, and creep,
• Damage can make it toxic,
• Expensive.

4. Polybenzimidazole (PBI)

If you are looking for heat-resistant plastic material with the highest melting point, PBI is the one. Its melting point is up to 398 degrees Celsius. It can even survive for the short term at a temperature of up to 537 degrees Celsius. It also has the highest wear resistance. Moreover, its strength is the highest compared to other heat-resistant plastic materials. Therefore, different types of equipment in big factories use this material to build its components.

Even though this material seems superior to others, it is similar to other plastic materials. PBI plastic has advantages and disadvantages, such as:

Advantages:

• It has the highest melting point of any thermoplastic you can find today,
• Its fiber has no melting point, which means it doesn’t stick or burn to other materials,
• High stability.

Disadvantages:

• It is very expensive. To process this material, you may need equipment made of diamond to cut it, which raises the production cost to an exorbitant level.

5. Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD)

This material was born from the engineering process. Thanks to this process, it has good resistance against chemicals, heat, corrosion, stiffness, and impact strength. In short, this material is a combination between good molding flexibility and high-performance characteristics.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD):

Advantages:

• Have many resistances,
• No weight limitation,
• Good molding flexibility level.

Disadvantages:

• New material with limited application.

Conclusion

Are you interested in getting those heat-resistant materials? If you want to get it or learn more about them, you can always count on Castalia International Pte. Ltd. This company has everything you need. They provide a resource for companies or individuals who want to learn more about heat-resistant plastic material. We hope this article will help you know more about heat-resistant plastic.