POLYSULFONE MANIFOLDS

• Great dimensional stability
• FDA approved grades available
• Sterilizable and biocompatible
• UV resistant grades available
• Low outgassing
• Excellent thermal stability (continuous service temperature up to 148°C (300°F))
• High tensile strength
• High chemical resistance
• Light amber color typically
• Can be costly

Polished polysulfone parts turn out light amber in color. Vapor polishing and optical machining are effective methods for clarity. Polished polysulfone components can achieve surface finishes under 1 µin with optical machining.

Polysulfone parts are particularly resistant to radiation sterilization, where clear polished polysulfone is often used for sterilization trays. This material's clarity allows for easy top-down inspection. Precise polysulfone components can be used in FDA-compliant devices.

• Tensile strength at yield: 10,200 psi
• Modulus of elasticity: 360,000 psi (tensile), 390,000 psi (flexural)
• Dielectric strength: 425 v/mil
• Continuous service temperature in the air: 300oF, with bursts to 340°F
• Low creep under constant load at elevated temperatures
• Chemical resistance to mineral acids, alkali, salt solutions, detergents, and hydrocarbon oils
• Resistant to hydrolysis
• Can repeatedly be steam and dry-heat sterilized

When designing channels for a polysulfone product, double-sided full round or single-sided D-channels are possible. Full round channels give the best flow and the least opportunity for unswept volume. The typical minimal channel size is 0.020 (0.5 mm) for polysulfone with channel spacing a preferred 1x apart. Tighter spacing is possible in low-pressure applications.

Unlimited layers are theoretically possible with polysulfone, but costs rise exponentially with layer count. In practice, multiple two-layer manifolds are a smarter choice than a single large, highly complex three-or-more-layer one. While general performance is higher with polysulfone than with acrylic and polycarbonate, it is more expensive from a raw material perspective.

When building polysulfone products, use threaded inserts only when frequent assembly/disassembly is expected. Directly threaded polysulfone fluidic manifolds will perform acceptably for single-assembly applications (if torque limits are not exceeded at the time of installation). Staked-in threaded inserts are recommended over helicoils when using polysulfone to avoid stress-cracking concerns.