Material Options
The type of media flowing through a connection can affect the strength, surface appearance, color, and performance of the connection. Some guidelines for the different types of material:
Thermoplastics
- ABS: Economical medical-grade thermoplastic that withstands gamma and e-beam sterilization. It is commonly used in medical devices. ABS is an amorphous material with good physical properties and high resistance to chemical attack.
- Acetal: Strong, lightweight and economical, and is used for a wide variety of chemical and mechanical components. Acetal offers high strength and rigidity over a broad temperature range, low wear, toughness and resistance to repeated use.
- Polyamide (Nylon): Very resistant to wear and abrasion, good mechanical properties even at elevated temperatures, low permeability to gases, and good chemical resistance.
- PEEK (Polyetheretherketon): Highly temperature resistant, engineered thermoplastic with excellent chemical and fatigue resistance. It exhibits superior mechanical and electrical properties.
- Polycarbonate: Resistant to some chemicals, withstands sterilization and is transparent. It is commonly used in medical devices and offers impact resistance, outstanding dimensional stability and good optical properties.
- Polyethylene: Low-cost, chemically resistant thermoplastic. It is opaque, and can withstand reasonably high temperature. Polyethylene, unlike polypropylene, cannot withstand normally required autoclaving conditions.
- Polypropylene: Excellent general purpose resin that is highly resistant to chemical attack from solvents and chemicals in harsh environments. In general, polypropylene is resistant to environmental stress cracking, and it can be exposed to challenging environments.
- Polysulfone: Rigid material with excellent strength, good chemical resistance, withstands repeated sterilization, and higher temperatures than other thermoplastics. Its high hydrolytic stability allows its use in medical applications requiring autoclave and steam sterilization.
- PPS (Polyethylene Sulfide): Broadest resistance to chemicals for its market as an advanced engineering plastic. (PEEK and PTFE have better resistance, but are not considered engineering resins.)
Fluoropolymers
- PTFE: Chemically resistant to all chemicals and solvents with the exception of some molten metals, molten sodium hydroxide, elemental fluorine, and certain fluorinating agents. PTFE offers chemical resistance and stability at high temperature.
- PVDF: Tough engineering thermoplastic with a balance of physical and chemical properties that qualify it for high performance in a wide range of applications. It is mechanically strong and tough, has good ductility, and has a broad, useful temperature range.
Alloys
- Aluminum: Lightweight metal with an available hard anodized finish for durability. Aluminum is non-toxic, non-magnetic and non-sparking and is known for its high strength to weight ratio.
- Chrome-plated Brass: Rugged metallic material with an attractive appearance, chromeplated brass is excellent for higher pressure and temperature.
- Die-cast Zinc: Durable and lightweight (about 20% less than comparable brass) material that withstands high pressure and temperature.