RADEL PLASTIC MATERIAL & MACHINING

• High impact resistance
• Suitable for structural applications
• Hydrolysis resistance
• Excellent high temperature tolerance
• Resistance to wide variety of chemicals
• Combustion resistance
• Great electrical insulation properties
• Inherently transparent
• Biocompatible & Sterilizable
• USP Grade VI grades available

Radel offers a superior combination of high performance properties. With its excellent thermal stability, outstanding toughness, and good environmental stress cracking resistance, Radel often compares better than other high-performance materials, like ULTEM and Polysulfone.

Regarding temperature, Radel has a few different aspects worthy of note. Its high glass transition temperature (Tg) ranges between 200°-215°C (392°-419°F) with heat deflection to temperatures of 204°C (~400°F), making this a great choice for components and devices that plan to stay within harsh environments. Able to take the heat and keep its strength, it resists deformation and combustion that would otherwise compromise devices used particularly in structural functions.

When it comes to chemical resistance, Radel can hold against several different types that would otherwise deteriorate other materials. Highly resistant to acids, bases, and organic solvents, the material can handle aggressive chemical environments without much threat to its integrity. Additionally, it takes repeated sterilizations well, whether it's steam, gamma, or EtO. For that reason, designers in the medical and healthcare industry elect Radel for their components and devices.

Like ULTEM, polished Radel (PPSU) is dark amber in its natural color, and standard stock colors for polishing are white and black. Radel allows for seemingly unlimited steam sterilization, but other methods (including radiation, dry heat, and cold sterilization) are acceptable. As a result, polished Radel components are frequently used in medical devices for more than simply aesthetic reasons.

Radel responds well to vapor polishing and optical machining, and polished Radel components offer better impact and chemical resistance than ULTEM and polysulfone parts. However, clear Radel components do absorb light in the UV range and are unsuitable for those applications. Light transmittance for a 2mm thick clear sample is 80% with 3% haze.

Transcript for Radel video located here.