ULTEM: Polyetherimide (PEI)/Overview
Unparalleled Versatility
The propensity to accept various fillers (e.g. glass and carbon) and to compound compatibility with diverse polymers imbues ULTEM with great versatility: the resin has over 100 unique grades, not counting custom blends, bonds well with several different materials and can be molded into complex geometries with thin walls.
Design Options
ULTEM balances exceptional mechanical properties and ease of processability offering design engineer’s exceptional flexibility and freedom to create products that are aesthetically appealing, ergonomically subtle, durable and manufacturable.
Property Combinations
ULTEM can tolerate maximum temperatures of 340° F during continuous operations while maintaining rigidity and strength, offers exceptional chemical resistance with high dielectric strength, and exhibits natural flame resistance with extremely low smoke generation. It is a viable alternative to metals and polymers with less potent properties.
ULTEM Sterilization Trays
Trays to hold medical instruments during autoclave sterilization must be FDA-compliant, steam and chemical resistant, and have stiffness and impact strength. Transparency and color coding may be a desired options.
Unfilled ULTEM meets this combination of properties. Sufficiently strong without fiber reinforcement ULTEM withstands repeated exposure to all current methods of sterilization. It is transparent and available in a range of colors, and can be injection molded with ribs and other structural strengthening features.