Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT

Bringing plastics beyond the limits.

Introducing outstanding high-performance
polymers:

P84® NT - for challenging friction and wear applications under

high temperature

P84® UHT - for extremely high temperatures and demanding

requirements on mechanics

• Excellent performance at high temperatures

Polyimides are used in applications where ordinary plastics would sooner melt or decompose.

• High strength and excellent shape stability

Parts and components made of Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT provide a rigid structure and can bear
high mechanical stress and elongation.

• Very good impact resistance

The high impact strength of polyimides from Evonik ensures easy machinability with standard tools and
good quality of edges and surfaces.

• Processing by state-of-the-art sinter technologies

Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT are processable cost-efficiently by common sinter technologies such
as hot compression moulding or direct forming.
Why choosing Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT?

Demanding applications From liquid nitrogen to hot atmosphere

High temperatures or frictional wear at high speeds Plastics processors can use polyimides — which
and loads often limits the use of engineering plastics. exhibit remarkable heat stability and creep resistance,
Hence, advanced high-performance polymers have even at elevated temperatures up to 300°C — where
taken their place in demanding applications. conventional plastics are limited by thermal stability.
Evonik polyimides are providing their strength and
stiffness even at extremely low temperature
(cryogenic applications).

Temperature ranges

P84® UHT

P84® NT From
-196°C
TPI
to
250°C
PAI

-200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Temperature [°C]

Different grades
Evonik offers several grades of P84® NT powders. In Due to its original particle size distribution, P84® UHT
addition to the granulated standard type, grades with powder does not require granulating and can be used
different particle size distribution are available for especially in direct forming process for the production
various areas of application: P84® NT Fine of parts with low wall thicknesses.
(d90<60µm) and P84® NT Superfine (1-10µm).

Type Particle size Processing Characteristic

P84® UHT Fine d90<60μm HCM & DF Low coefficient of friction, high thermal conductivity, highest
thermal stability

P84® NT Superfine 1-10μm HCM Matrix for abrasive tools, filler in resins or thermoplastics

Fine d90<60μm HCM Filler in resins or thermoplastics, for making custom tailored HCM
compounds

Granulate 300-700μm HCM & DF Insulating, tribological properties, high mechanical strength
Top of the plastics pyramid due to outstanding
characteristics

Advantages of Polyimide P84® NT

and P84® UHT
Evonik Fibres GmbH is offering Polyimide P84® NT Parts made of Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT
and P84® UHT in powder or granulate form, are excellent performers in thermally and
allowing plastics processors to develop PI parts by mechanically stressed applications.
employing common sinter technologies such as hot This polymer material features a high glass
compression moulding or direct forming. The high transition temperature and a rigid structure,
mechanical stability and the impact resistance of combined with a high elongation at break and high
P84® NT parts ensure good machinability with impact strength.
standard tools.

Tensile test (ISO 527)

160

140

120
Tensile Strength [MPa]

100

80

60

40 Comparison of stress-strain-
curves in tensile test (ISO 527).
20 Polyimide P84® NT shows a
wide area of elastic behaviour
0 and high mechanical stability.
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Elongation [%]
P84® NT1 Competing PI

Selected properties - Full set of results available in technical data sheets

Property Test method Unit P84® NT1

Tensile strength ISO 527 MPa 140

Tensile elongation at break ISO 527 % 10

Tensile modulus ISO 527 MPa 3581

ISO 179-1/1eA notched kJ⋅m-2 7

Impact strength (Charpy)
ISO 179-1/1eU unnotched kJ⋅m-2 122

1.8MPa Method Af °C 319

Heat deflection temperature
0.45MPa Method B °C 343

Glass transition temperature Tg DSC °C 337

Electric strength AC DIN EN 60243-1 kV⋅mm-1 34

Evonik Fibres GmbH provides extensive PI processing
support

Hot compression moulding

Big semi-finshed parts like plates, rods and tubes are produced by “Hot compression moulding” (HCM), applying high
pressure and temperature above the glass transition point (Tg) for several hours. The manufacturing of precise
components with high mechanical stability is done by machining these semi-finished parts. Processing parameters are
up to 500kg/cm² pressure and 350-415°C temperature.

Direct forming
If a large quantity of small parts is to be produced cost efficiently and rapidly, Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT
powder can be processed by means of direct forming. This technology includes the production of “green parts” at
extremely high pressure and ambient temperatures, with subsequent sintering in an external furnace. Processing is
done at up to 4000kg/cm² pressure and 350-410°C temperature. The sintered parts can be manufactured with a high
degree of precision and require little or no machining before they are used. High number of cycles of up to 40 parts
per minute are possible.
Fillers adding function

Compounding
By blending it with functional fillers, plastics compounds and have an impact on thermal
processors can adjust the properties of Polyimide expansion. Besides standard compound grades,
P84® NT and P84® UHT to meet specific Evonik offers custom tailored formulations to
requirements. Solid lubricants such as graphite, address specific requirements.
molybdenum disulfide or PTFE make components Polyimides are also used as matrix for abrasive
self-lubricating. Moreover, fillers affect the material for high performance grinding and
electrical and thermal conductivity of polyimide polishing tools.

Tribology
Tribology Electrical Thermal Thermal
Filler Tribology (vacuum, Abrasion
(heavy duty) conductivity conductivity expansion
dry gases)

Graphite ▯ ▯ ▯ ▯

Molybdenum disulfide ▯ ▯ ▯

PTFE ▯ ▯

Diamond, Corundum ▯

Since Polyimide P84® NT is available as fine

powder of 1-15µm particle size of spherical
shape and narrow particle size distribution,
it can be used as functional filler itself:

• Thermoplastics
Improving creep resistance at elevated
temperatures or decreasing frictional
wear of thermal plastics like PTFE and
PEEK (VESTAKEEP®).

• Composites
Act as toughening in thermoset
composite materials, improving impact
strength.

• Oil and grease

Increase load bearing capabilities and
frictional properties.

Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) at 4000× magnification. Spherical particles of

Polyimide P84® NT with smooth surface.
Benefitting from Evonik Polyimide

Applications
Polyimide P84® NT and P84® UHT are the right can be made by direct forming, including all the
choice for applications where plastics face high necessary notches, thus minimizing post-processing
demands on temperature stability but need to be and ensuring high-temperature stability and low
applied due to commercial or technical reasons. wear. This promising material is used in bushings,
For example, bushings made of a polyimide- seals, bearings components, guides, gear wheels,
graphite compound are used as bearings for and valve parts in the automotive and aerospace
windscreen wipers — for a lifetime of oil- and industries and in industrial equipment.
grease-free lubrication. Spacer discs in gear boxes
Semicon and electronic applications profit from
the high barrier of polyimides against electric
break through
In the manufacturing process of
electronic components all products
have to pass a final test. For this test the
chip is placed in a test socket, which is
made of polyimide.
Required properties include high
dimensional stability over a wide
temperature range, good machinability
and good mechanical strength and
stiffness. Materials used in this
application has to pass various
qualification procedures including
cycling tests to prove to be durable and
resistant. The test socket also requires
high dimensional stability and resistance
against harsh cleaning conditions. Test
sockets based on
P84® UHT fulfill these challenging
specifications and allow increased
lifetime of the component.
Polyimides convince in semicon and
electronic processing equipment with
low outgassing in vacuum, excellent
thermal stability and high electric
strength.

Electric strength (DIN EN 60243-1) Dielectric constant (DIN EN 62631-2-1)

35 4

30

3
25
Electric strength [kv/mm]

Dielectric constant, 1kHz

20

15

10
1

0 0
P84® NT1 P84® UHT PAI TPI P84® UHT PAI TPI
Reducing wear – Tribological applications under
challenging conditions

The trend in the use of high-performance plastics is

towards miniaturization and lightweight design.
Polyimides are therefore preferably used in areas of
application in which engineering plastics can no
longer meet the requirements due to thermal stress.
Especially in applications with tribological contact
under high load and speed, such as plain bearing
bushings, they can play to their strengths.
The excellent temperature resistance and
dimensional stability of polyimides contribute to
extraordinary wear resistance.
Compounds with graphite and/or PTFE additionally
improve the friction behaviour. The solid lubricant
filler allows dry running conditions or add failsafe
running properties.
In comparison to conventional types of high- • Longer lifetime due to high wear resistance
performance plastics, P84® NT and P84® UHT show • Low friction without liquid lubricants
low coefficient of friction and the wear rate at room
temperature is always more than 50% lower.
• Cost efficient part production by direct forming process

Sliding bearing test

8
Specific wear rate [10-3mm3/(N⋅ km)]

7
6

4
3

2
1
0
P84® NT1 P84® UHT P84® UHT PEEK TPI
15wt% graphite 15wt% graphite 15wt% graphite, 10wt% PTFE tribo compound tribo compound

0,5

0,4
Coefficent of fricton

0,3

0,2

0,1

0,0
P84® NT1 P84® UHT P84® UHT PEEK TPI
15wt% graphite 15wt% graphite 15wt% graphite, 10wt% PTFE tribo compound tribo compound

FN = 250 N, v = 1 m/s, 23°C, 20 hrs, counterpart: 100Cr6, bearing dimension: inner diameter = 30 mm, outer diameter = 34 mm; no lubrication
Polyimide P84® UHT for glass handling

During manufacturing of glass bottles, graphite or

brass parts are needed for handling purposes.
These parts guide the hot glass bottles through the
process. Due to brittleness or extended heat
conductivity parts get broken or glass bottles are
damaged.
Glass gripper made out of compounds of P84®
UHT with graphite can withstand the
temperatures. The higher ductility of the polymer
material enhance the liftime of those components.

• Longer lifetime of glass gripper

• Less production shut down for gripper

exchange, less maintenance costs

• P84® UHT shows high integrity and low

weight loss even at temperatures above
300°C

Thermal oxidative stability

1,0

0,8
Mass loss after 100hrs at 315°C [%]

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
P84® UHT PEEK PAI TPI
05P DF
Excellent chemical stability in hydrocarbons,
solvents, acids, oil and grease

24h at 23°C P84® UHT P84® NT 24h at 70°C P84® UHT P84® NT

Acetonitrile ▯▯▯ ▯▯○ Acetonitrile ▯▯○ ▯▯○

Acetic acid ▯▯▯ ▯▯○ Acetic acid ▯▯▯ ▯▯○

Aniline ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯ Aniline ▯▯▯ ▯▯○

1,4-Dioxane ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯ 1,4-Dioxane ▯▯▯ ▯▯○

Hydrochloride acid ▯▯▯ ▯▯○ Hydrochloride acid ▯▯○ ▯○○

N-Heptane ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯ N-Heptane ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯

Sodium chlorate ▯▯▯ ▯▯○ Sodium chlorate ▯▯○ ▯○○

Sodium hydroxide ▯▯○ ▯○○ Sodium hydroxide ▯○○ ▯○○

Sulfuric acid ▯▯▯ ▯▯○ Sulfuric acid ▯▯○ ▯○○

Toluene ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯ Toluene ▯▯▯ ▯▯▯

300h at 150°C P84® UHT

Engine oil ▯▯▯

Gearbox oil ▯▯▯

Rating ▯▯▯ - Excellent ▯▯○ - Satisfying ▯○○ - Poor

no change, negligible change of moderate change, material with material decomposition within
Description
mechanical properties limited lifetime short time

Organic solvents,
Strong acids and
Material class hydrocarbons, oil and grease, Moderate acids and alkalines
alkalines
weak acids, salts, peroxides
 Legal References
This information and all technical and other advice
are based on Evonik’s present knowledge and expe-
rience. However, Evonik assumes no liability for
such information or advice, including the extent to
which such information or advice may relate to third
party intellectual property rights. Evonik reserves
the right to make any changes to information or ad-
vice at any time, without prior or subsequent notice.
EVONIK DISCLAIMS ALL REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IM-
PLIED, AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR,
MERCHANTABILITY OF THE PRODUCT OR ITS
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (EVEN IF
EVONIK IS AWARE OF SUCH PURPOSE), OR
OTHERWISE. EVONIK SHALL NOT BE RESPONSI-
BLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT OR INCI-
DENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOSS OF PROF-
ITS) OF ANY KIND.
It is the customer’s sole responsibility to arrange for
inspection and testing of all products by qualified
experts. Reference to trade names used by other
companies is neither a recommendation nor an en-
dorsement of the corresponding product, and does
not imply that similar products could not be used.
® = registered trademark

Evonik Fibres GmbH

Gewerbepark 4
4861 Schörfling am Attersee
Austria
phone +43 7662 6006-2891
www.­p84.com