Polymers for industrial 3D printing

Laser sintering PAEK / PEEK / PEKK

Polyaryletherketones

3D printing PEEK and PEKK: Stable at high temperatures

PEKK (polyether ketone ketone) and PEEK (polyether ether ketone) are high-performance thermoplastics known for their exceptional mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. Both materials are used in the most demanding areas such as aerospace and the automotive industry, but also in medical technology due to their biocompatibility.

Differences between PEEK and PEKK
The biggest difference between PEEK and PEKK, both of which belong to the PAEK (polyaryleherketone) family, lies in their chemical structure. Both plastics contain ether and ketone groups. However, the newer PEKK contains an additional ketone bond. This leads to a higher crystallinity. These structural differences make PEKK more resistant to extreme environments than PEEK. PEKK is particularly in demand in aerospace, motorsport, the oil and gas industry and medical technology.

Advantages of 3D printing PEEK

  • Very high temperature resistance
  • High rigidity
  • High strength
  • Good chemical resistance
  • High radiation resistance
  • flame retardant
  • favorable sliding and abrasion behavior
PEKK 100

The new high-performance standard: unfilled polyetherketoneketone, beige

The high-performance polymer based on an unfilled PEKK demonstrates its special capabilities at high application temperatures in the 249°C range. It has an extremely high toughness and at the same time retains its high strength and rigidity. PEKK thus has similar properties to injection-molded 35% glass fiber-filled polyamide 6 and is therefore ideal as a replacement for small series applications.

Thanks to its excellent chemical and oil resistance, even at high operating temperatures, PEKK 100 is particularly suitable for the manufacture of industrial and automotive parts. Its very good insulation properties (high dielectric strength) in combination with its halogen-free flame retardancy (UL94-V0) make PEKK 100 a popular material in the entire field of Electronic & Electric (E&E) applications. Due to its inherent flame retardancy, PEKK is also a sought-after substitute material for metal in aviation and railroad technology. Its abrasion resistance and sliding friction properties are of interest for many industrial applications.

  • Maximum installation space: 675 x 365 x 380 mm

    • Properties 3D printing PEKK 100

  • Mechanical
    • Tension module
    4100 MPa
    Tensile strength
    86 MPa
    Elongation at break (XY)
    2,40 %
  • Thermal
    • Dimensional stability temperature (0.45 MPa)
    249°C
    Dimensional stability temperature (1.8 MPa)
    165°C
  • Physical
    • Density (laser sintered)
    1290 kg/M³
  • Standards
    • UL94 V-0 at 1.6 mm
    PEEK HP3

    The PEEK classic:
    unfilled polyetheretherketone, beige (Attention: no longer available to order)

    With PEEK HP3, EOS made a high-performance polymer from the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) group available for laser-sintering production for the first time in 2010. This semi-crystalline, thermoplastic material was developed for use on the new high-temperature system. The laser-sintered parts achieve tensile strengths of up to 95 MPa and a modulus of elasticity of 4400 MPa. These values are up to 100 percent higher than the market-dominating materials PA 12 and PA 11. Depending on the application, the continuous service temperature is between 180°C (mechanical dynamic), 240°C (mechanical static) and 260°C (electrical) – values that were previously unattainable.

    This exceptional combination of properties makes EOS PEEK HP3 ideal for the most demanding applications, e.g. in medicine, aerospace and motorsport. In medical applications, these properties make the material an ideal replacement for stainless steel and titanium. And in aerospace and motorsport, where lightness and fire resistance are of the utmost importance, PEEK HP3 has become a suitable metal substitute.

  • Maximum installation space: 675 x 365 x 550 mm
    • Product sheet (PDF)

    Properties 3D printing PEEK HP3

  • Mechanical
    • Tension module
    4250 N/MM²
    Tensile strength
    90 N/MM²
    Elongation at break (XY)
    2,80 %
  • Thermal
    • Melting temperature (20°C/min)
    372°C
    Dimensional stability temperature
    165°C
  • Physical
    • Density (laser sintered)
    1310 kg/M³

    Temperature resistance
    PEEK is suitable for use at temperatures up to around 260°C, while PEKK has a higher temperature resistance of up to 300°C. This additional heat resistance makes PEKK particularly suitable for applications in which materials are exposed to extreme thermal loads, such as in the chemical industry or in the aerospace sector.  

    Wear and chemical resistance
    Both plastics are characterized by excellent wear resistance and high resistance to chemicals. However, PEKK offers even better resistance to aggressive chemicals and extreme environmental influences due to its stronger molecular structure, which makes it ideal for particularly demanding applications.

    Processing
    The processing of PEKK is more complex than that of PEEK due to its higher crystallinity and denser structure. While PEEK is widely used in many industries thanks to its good processability, PEKK requires special techniques to achieve the best material properties. However, this does not mean that PEKK is more difficult to use – on the contrary: the ability to produce extremely high-performance components justifies the greater effort.

    3D printing with PEKK

    In additive manufacturing, FKM relies on the higher-performance material PEKK to produce components with outstanding mechanical properties in three dimensions. They are permanently temperature-resistant up to 260°C for mechanical and electrical applications – and even up to 300°C in the short term.

    These properties make 3D printing with PEKK interesting for many industries in which materials with high strength and temperature resistance are required. Due to the biocompatibility and sterilizability of 3D-printed PEKK components, the high-performance polymer is also of great importance in medical technology, especially for the production of prostheses.

    3D printing with PEKK and other high-performance materials at FKM

    In combination with innovative manufacturing technologies such as laser sintering, PEEK and the newer PEKK offer a wide range of possibilities for various industrial applications. At FKM, we rely on these advanced materials and technologies to develop customized solutions for our customers’ specific requirements and give them a competitive edge in their industries.

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