Sabic presented at the plastics and rubber show K 2010 in Dusseldorf its new flame-retardant Extem UP thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) resins, described as extreme high-heat materials that recently achieved a UL746B relative temperature index (RTI) rating of 240 C.

The company said it was one of the industry’s highest continuous temperature rating for an unfilled thermoplastic material.

“By incorporating polyetheretherketone (Peek) into its proven ultra-performance Extem resin technology, Sabic Innovative Plastics is able to offer customers optimised performance combining the best of both materials,” the company said.

This unique blend technology opens new opportunities for lower-weight, high-temperature continuous use applications such as semiconductor chip trays, connectors for harsh environments and metal replacement in high-heat oil and gas and aerospace environments.

Peter Catsman, the company’s global product marketing leader for high-performance products, said Extem UP resins gave customers a completely new option for replacing metals, ceramics and thermosets which were complicated to process and could add cost and weight.

Extem UP resins combine the best features of semi-crystalline Peek including excellent chemical and wear resistance and high flow with the advantages of a high glass transition temperature amorphous material, including mechanical strength/stiffness, dimension stability and creep resistance at high temperatures. They meet UL746B requirements at an RTI of 240 C, indicating retention of certain mechanical and electrical properties at this temperature over a period of 10 years.

Performance highlights
Specific performance highlights are: up to five times greater flex strength and up to five times higher stiffness than unfilled Peek at 200C; dimensional stability expressed as a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is up to 30 per cent lower than unfilled Peek. These performance properties allow customers to design parts with greater freedom and efficiency, achieve higher strength and stiffness using thinner walls to reduce material weight and costs, and provide tighter dimensional control for high-precision applications.

Extem UP resins are currently available as unfilled grades. Glass fibre-, mineral- and carbon-fibre filled as well as lubricated grades are now under development. The materials are an excellent candidate for conversion processes like injection moulding and extrusion. Potential applications include semiconductor parts (seals, pick-up systems), electrical components (connectors, wire and cable), industrial parts (bearings, gears, bushings) and transportation composites and connectors.