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High-Performance Plastics: PEEK, Noryl, Ultem & More

Quick Answer

High-performance plastics are specialized materials designed to offer superior properties beyond standard plastics, including enhanced wear resistance, chemical resistance, and long-lasting endurance. These materials are essential for demanding applications that require parts to handle elevated temperatures, aggressive chemicals, tight tolerances, or continuous wear, where conventional plastics are insufficient. Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc. has provided these high-performance plastic sheets and rods for over 50 years, serving industries that require materials with proven, measurable properties.

High Performance Plastic Materials with Superior Properties

High Tech / Performance Plastic

High Performance plastic materials go beyond standard plastic materials.

These materials offer superior properties, wear resistance, chemical resistance and more. They also offer long lasting endurance making them excellent for many applications in many different industries.

Not every application can be solved with a commodity plastic. When parts need to handle elevated temperatures, aggressive chemicals, tight tolerances, or continuous wear, engineers and procurement teams turn to high-performance engineering plastics — materials engineered to go where standard grades simply can’t.

At Industrial Plastic Supply, we’ve stocked high-performance plastic sheet and rod for over 50 years, working with machinists, OEMs, and manufacturers across industries that demand materials with proven, measurable properties. From the workhorse reliability of Acetal and Nylon to the extreme-end capabilities of PEEK, Ultem, and Torlon, we supply the grades your application actually requires — not just what’s convenient to ship.

This page covers the key performance plastics we carry, what makes each one distinct, and the types of applications they’re best suited for. If you already know what you need, request a quote. If you’re still evaluating options, our free Plastic Materials Selection Guide is a good place to start.

Acetal & Delrin®

Copolymer Acetal (POM) and the Dupont name brand Homopolymer Delrin® are available in sheet and rod sizes.

Both POM grades have very similar properties. Our clients appear to prefer the Dupont brand name Homopolymer materials because of the superior physical properties. The issues that lead clients to the Copolymer Acetal is a slightly lower cost, and the minor inherent center-line porosity in the Delrin® 150SA Homopolymer grade.

  

Nylon (Polyamide)

Nylon performance plastic material is used frequently in a self lubricating bearing surface or slide type applications. Resistant to most common chemicals.

One of the most popular work horse materials of the mechanical plastics family. The number designations that follow each type of nylon  refers to the number of carbon atoms contained in the material’s prior polymerization process.

Nylon is available in Type 6 (cast), Type 6/6 (extruded), Type 6/10, and Type 6/12. Nylon comes in black and natural, and can also be glassed filled or MD ( molybdenum disulfide ). MD is a composition designed to improve the mechanical, thermal, and bearing properties to Type 6/6 nylon while maintaining its basic electrical and chemical characteristics.

Natural and Black Extruded Nylon 66 plate and sheet

Polypro (Polypropylene)

Polypropylene combines high corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance (Melting point is 320°F), and great tensile strength.

It maintains its stiffness at elevated temperatures and displays incredible resistance to organic solvents, degreasing agents, and electrolytic attack. In addition, the material is lightweight, and stain and moisture resistant.

Metal, Visual, X-ray Detectable

Detectable plastics are primarily used in the Food Processing industry on large scale processing equipment. The primary purpose of these performance plastic materials is to be easily identifiable should a piece of it break off during production. For instance, if a standard piece of plastic was used to push an un-packaged food product down a conveyor belt, and a piece came off into the food, it would be difficult to identify. In the detectable versions of this, the bright visual version can be seen easily, the X-ray version can be quickly detected via X-ray, and the metal version can be seen with either of the previous methods or potentially using a magnet. These products help maintain a safe food production process and keeps foreign objects from entering our food supply.

Blue Metal Detectable Plastic Helps Reduce Food Recalls | The Plastic Mentor Blog

Noryl®

Noryl® PPO (Polyphenylene Oxide) material is used frequently in fluid handling applications due to the very low moisture absorption.

Noryl® is similar to Acetal and P.E.T., but carries a better UL rating. It has excellent electrical properties, extremely low water absorption, is vacuum formable, machinable and bondable, and has good temperature resistance.

  

PEEK

PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) is a highly crystalline thermoplastic performance plastic material with excellent properties making it an ideal material for medical, electrical and electronic industries. Also makes great pump bodies, compressor components, valve seat, and housing applications.

Rated as “Best” or nearly the best in all mechanical properties of performance plastic materials. It carries UL 94-V-0 flammability rating and is FDA approved for food contact. PEEK has excellent dimensional stability, even under elevated temperatures.

  

Torlon®

Polyamide-imide (PAI), also known under the trade name Torlon®, is an engineering thermoplastic with attributes of high strength and stiffness. Torlon® is known for its high wear resistance in dry and lubricated environments, low flammability and smoke generation, very low-temperature toughness and impact strength, excellent resistance to wear and creep under load, excellent compressive strength and extremely low CLTE, and resistant to most chemicals. Please inquire with us about purchasing Torlon®.

 

Ultem®

Ultem (Polyetherimide) is great for applications that require improved stiffness. Glass fiber-filled grades with filler levels of 10% – 40% are available. However, the 30% glass fill is the most readily available. Because it offers superior resistance to autoclave sanitizing and its FDA/USDA and USP class VI compliance, PEI / Ultem is frequently specified for reusable machined components used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Lesser known or lesser used performance plastics are available, which might have slightly different chemical compositions from their relatives or might fall outside the normal categories plastics are placed in. We carry products that have various functions across multiple materials, such as metal or X-ray detectable. While this is not an exhaustive list of Performance Plastics, the above materials are notable. If you require a different material, please contact us. Request a Quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 What are high-performance plastics?

High-performance plastics go beyond standard plastic materials by offering superior properties including exceptional wear resistance, chemical resistance, high temperature capability, dimensional stability, and long-lasting endurance. Examples stocked by Industrial Plastic Supply include Acetal/Delrin, Nylon, Polypropylene, Noryl PPO, PEEK, Torlon PAI, Ultem PEI, PTFE, Polysulfone, PVDF/Kynar, and metal/visual/X-ray detectable grades.

2 What is the difference between Acetal Copolymer and Delrin Homopolymer?

Both Acetal Copolymer (POM) and DuPont Delrin® Homopolymer are very similar in properties. Delrin Homopolymer is preferred for superior physical properties and brand recognition. Acetal Copolymer is chosen for its slightly lower cost and the absence of the minor inherent centerline porosity found in Delrin 150SA rod. Both are widely used for wear parts, bearings, and low-friction slide applications.

3 What Nylon grades does Industrial Plastic Supply stock?

Industrial Plastic Supply stocks Nylon in Type 6 (cast), Type 6/6 (extruded), Type 6/10, and Type 6/12 in Natural and Black. Glass-filled and MD (Molybdenum Disulfide) grades are also available. MD Nylon improves the mechanical, thermal, and bearing properties of Type 6/6 while maintaining basic electrical and chemical characteristics.

4 What are metal, visual, and X-ray detectable plastics used for?

Detectable plastics are primarily used in the food processing industry on large-scale processing equipment to prevent contamination. If a piece breaks off during production, it can be identified: the visual (bright blue) grade is easily seen, the X-ray grade is detected by standard X-ray equipment, and the metal-detectable grade can be identified by all previous methods or by magnet. These materials help eliminate costly food product recalls. Industrial Plastic Supply stocks Hydex 4101 UD Blue (Ensinger), which is all three simultaneously.

5 What makes PEEK a top-rated performance plastic?

PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) is rated as best or nearly the best in all mechanical properties among performance plastics. It is a highly crystalline thermoplastic with a UL 94 V-0 flame rating, FDA approval for food contact, excellent dimensional stability under elevated temperatures, and outstanding chemical and wear resistance. PEEK is the go-to specification for medical, electrical, and electronic applications, as well as pump bodies, compressor components, valve seats, and housing applications.

6 What is Torlon and when should I use it?

Torlon® (Polyamide-imide / PAI) is an advanced engineering thermoplastic with the highest strength and stiffness of any thermoplastic. It is specified for applications requiring high wear resistance in dry or lubricated environments, excellent compressive strength under sustained load, extremely low CLTE, very low flammability and smoke generation, and broad chemical resistance. Torlon is available by inquiry from Industrial Plastic Supply — contact (866) 832-9315 for details.

7 Why is Ultem PEI used in medical and pharmaceutical applications?

Ultem PEI (Polyetherimide) is frequently specified for reusable machined components in medical and pharmaceutical applications because it offers superior resistance to autoclave sanitizing and is FDA, USDA, and USP Class VI compliant. It combines a 340°F continuous use temperature, inherent UL 94 5VA flame resistance, improved stiffness (especially in 30% glass-filled Ultem 2300), and excellent chemical resistance to caustic cleaning agents.

8 What high-performance plastic is best for fluid handling applications?

Noryl® PPO (Polyphenylene Oxide) is frequently specified for fluid handling applications due to its extremely low moisture absorption. It offers excellent electrical properties, good temperature resistance, and can be vacuum formed, machined, and bonded. For aggressive chemical fluid handling, Polypropylene, PVDF/Kynar, and PTFE are also top choices, depending on the specific chemicals and temperatures involved.