PEEK Grade suits wire and cable insulation applications.
Press Release Summary:
Consisting of medium-viscosity resin, KetaSpire® KT-851 NT is for use in melt extrusion-based wire and cable insulation layers, as well as monofilaments, multi-filament fibers, ultra-thin tubing, and films. Semi-crystalline material allows for production of articles that are low in gel content and other particulate contamination. KT-851 NT incorporates trace level of lubricant dusted on pellets to facilitate conveying in extrusion screws, while KT-851 NL is pure polymer with no lubricant.
Original Press Release:
Solvay Advanced Polymers Launches New KetaSpire® PEEK Grade for Wire and Cable Insulation
PEEK Grade Sets New Mark for Cleanliness to Assure Outstanding Processability and Performance
ALPHARETTA, Ga., - Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC, has announced the commercial introduction of a new KetaSpire® PEEK (polyetheretherketone) grade designed for wire and cable applications as well as monofilaments, ultra-thin tubing, and films. The new material is Solvay's first PEEK resin for these types of applications, expanding the company's offering in these markets with an ultra-performance, high-temperature, semi-crystalline material with performance attributes that surpass today's competitive materials.
The new grade - designated KetaSpire KT-851 NT - is a medium-viscosity resin designed for use in melt extrusion-based wire and cable insulation layers and for the production of monofilaments and high denier multi-filament fibers. A distinguishing feature of this grade is the unprecedented level of cleanliness achieved through Solvay's proprietary filtration process. KT-851 NT allows for production of articles that are extremely low in gel content and other particulate contamination. "This is critical to the aesthetic and functional attributes of these articles due to the ultra-thin shape factors that are involved," explained Jamal El-Hibri, principal scientist for Solvay Advanced Polymers.
The new PEEK grade exhibits long-term oxidative thermal stability for use in high-temperature environments over prolonged durations. KT-851 NT can be used for melt extrusion of thin films down to thicknesses as low as six microns, supporting applications such as capacitors, speaker membranes, and aerospace thermal-acoustic insulation blankets and bagging materials. Other demanding uses are in the medical industry for components like thin-walled medical capillaries and tubing.
KT-851 is available in two versions: KT-851 NT incorporates a trace level (0.01%) of a lubricant dusted on the pellets to facilitate conveying in extrusion screws while KT-851 NL is the pure polymer with no lubricant.
The new PEEK grade has been successfully qualified and validated for use at several OEMs in a range of application areas.
KetaSpire KT-851 PEEK joins other products in Solvay's lineup of high- and ultra-performance products including Radel® PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) and AvaSpire® PAEK (polyaryletherketone) that together provide the industry with an unparalleled range of options for wire and cable coating applications for extreme environments.
About Solvay Advanced Polymers
Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC produces more plastics with more performance than any other company in the world. This gives design engineers worldwide more ways to solve top design challenges in automotive, medical, electronics, aerospace and other demanding industries. Learn more at www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com.
Solvay is an international industrial Group active in Chemistry. It offers a broad range of products and solutions that contribute to improving quality of life. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and its companies employ 17,000 people in over 40 countries. In 2010, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 7.1 billion. Solvay is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR). Details are available at www.solvay.com.
