Evonik Introduces a New, Tougher Grade of PEEK

Evonik Industries have launched a new grade of PEEK, the VESTAKEEP® 5000 G that, according to the company, possesses 20 percent higher impact strength than any previously used PEEK grade. The new VESTAKEEP® is of particular interest for suppliers to the oil and gas industries, who work in the temperature range -40 to 150°C and sometimes significantly beyond these limits. The high elastic modulus of the new PEEK therefore meets increasing requirements with regard to long-term exposure to high temperatures.

Evonik claims that its partners and customers, who have tried out the new PEEK have been able to achieve higher tear strengths with VESTAKEEP® 5000 G than with any other PEEK material on the market.

A concrete example of an application is provided by very large gasket rings with diameters of up to 2000 mm. In the HCM process, the gasket rings formerly used to break during the attempt to press them into the cavity of the metallic base plate. A similar situation arose in the production of rings by the extrusion technique: Production previously failed because gravitational forces made a circular geometry of large diameter impossible. VESTAKEEP® 5000 G can withstand such stresses and large rings are easier to produce.