PEKK

PEKK is a high-performance thermoplastic in the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family. It is an aromatic, linear polymer containing ether and ketone linkages, with two ketone groups per repeat unit. PEKK can be produced as fully amorphous or semi-crystalline material, depending on the processing and formulation.

It offers excellent thermal stability and chemical resistance, with a high melting point and the ability to maintain mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. Crystalline grades tend to show higher stiffness and wear resistance, while amorphous grades can offer better impact toughness and clarity in some applications. PEKK also exhibits good dimensional stability, low creep at high temperatures, and resistance to a broad range of solvents and hydrocarbons. Its properties can be tailored by adjusting crystallinity, fillers, and reinforcing agents.

Processing methods include extrusion and injection molding, with specialized high-temperature equipment. PEKK can also be processed by additive manufacturing, including fused deposition modeling (FDM/FFF) using high-temperature printers and selective laser sintering (SLS) with PEKK powders. Post-processing steps such as annealing are used to increase crystallinity and mechanical performance.

Common applications span aerospace components, medical devices and implants (some grades are used in sterilizable parts), oil and gas seals and coatings, automotive parts, and electronics hardware. While performance is high, PEKK tends to be more expensive than more common thermoplastics and requires careful processing control to achieve optimal properties.