Solvay Specialty Polymers' KetaSpire® PEEK Products are Qualified at Airbus
Qualification Further Broadens Solvay’s Ability to Serve the Aircraft Industry
HAMBURG, Germany – Three of Solvay Specialty Polymers’ KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK) grades have earned qualification at Airbus, one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers based in Toulouse, France. These three materials are the first KetaSpire® PEEK grades to be qualified at Airbus, opening up a broad range of new commercial opportunities for Solvay in highly demanding commercial aerospace applications. Solvay made the announcement at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIE), Booth 7A29, in Hamburg, Germany.
“As the aerospace industry continues to make increasing use of high-performance thermoplastics, we’re excited about earning qualification at Airbus and delivering the lightweight material options that optimize design, improve performance, and reduce cost,” said Art Tigera, product and business development manager for Spire® Ultra Polymers for Solvay Specialty Polymers. “As an industry-leading supplier of ultra-high performance polymers, we look forward to working with Airbus and their supply chain to collaboratively develop new solutions for the most demanding of applications.”
The three materials meeting the Airbus Internal Method Specification are KetaSpire® KT-820 NT neat resin, KetaSpire® KT-880 GF30 BG 20 (30% glass fiber filled), and KetaSpire® KT-880 CF30 (30% carbon fiber filled). Solvay’s Radel® R-7000 polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) series has been previously qualified by Airbus.
The qualification further solidifies Solvay’s commitment to the aerospace industry where it occupies a strong position as a leading materials supplier of a broad range of strong, lightweight high-performance products used to improve fuel economy, eliminate corrosion, and reduce overall cost. Solvay expects its expanded collaboration with Airbus to lead to new material qualifications in the future, according to Tigera.
Most recently, Solvay launched the industry’s first thermoformable polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) foam for insulative and structural components used in aircraft interiors. Radel® PPSU foam offers better chemical resistance than competitive polymer-based foams and simpler, lower-cost part manufacturing than traditional core materials.
Other aerospace products include high-performance polyketones, polysulfones, polyesters and fluoropolymers as well as Virantage® PESU epoxy tougheners for composites and high-performance films from Ajedium™ Films, the film division of Solvay Specialty Polymers.
KetaSpire® PEEK is one of the industry’s most chemically resistant plastics and offers excellent strength and stiffness, superior fatigue resistance, low moisture absorption, and a continuous-use temperature up to 240°C (464°F). Glass fiber-reinforced and carbon fiber-reinforced grades provide a wide range of performance options for demanding applications. These injection moldable materials are inherently flame retardant, exhibiting excellent fire, smoke, and toxicity (FST) performance and withstand the most aggressive aerospace fluids. They are targeted for a range of aerospace applications including electrical and mechanical attachments, thermal acoustic insulation, covering films, electrical connectors, and a variety of aerospace hardware that is typically produced in metal.
About Solvay Specialty Polymers
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers - fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds - for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire and Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
Solvay (www.solvay.com) is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. It is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving quality of life and the performance of its customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and its companies, which employ about 29,400 people in 55 countries, generated EUR 9.9 billion in net sales in 2013 (pro forma). Solvay SA is listed as SOLB.BE on NYSE Euronext (www.euronext.com) in Brussels and Paris. Bloomberg (www.bloomberg.com) = SOLB.BB. Reuters (www.reuters.com) = SOLB.BR.
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