Many plastics will quickly hydrolyze (degrade in hot water and steam). However, there are a number of plastic materials including PSU, Ultem®, and PEEK that resist hydrolysis and perform well in hot water and steam environments. This makes them excellent choices for many medical and food processing applications where the ability to withstand repeated exposure to steam is required.
Applications for hydrolysis resistant plastics include medical instrument handles and food storage trays.
ECTFE
Fluoropolymer with outstanding mechanical properties and dimensional stability.
ETFE
Plastic material with excellent mechanical strength, stiffness, and abrasion resistance.
FEP
Flexible fluoropolymer with outstanding chemical resistance and electrical properties.
PCTFE
Fluoropolymer with outstanding dimensional stability, mechanical properties, and temperature range.
PEEK
Strong, stiff plastic with outstanding chemical resistance; performs over a wide range of temperatures.
PFA
Flexible fluoropolymer that performs well in extreme temperature and harsh chemical environments.
PPS
Plastic material with excellent chemical and corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures.
PPSU
High temperature thermoplastic material with outstanding impact resistance that is autoclavable.
PSU
High temperature, semi-transparent plastic material with good mechanical properties.
PTFE
Low friction engineering plastic with outstanding chemical, high temperature, and weathering resistance.
PVDF
High purity engineering plastic with excellent chemical, abrasion, and flame resistance.
Ultem®
High strength plastic with outstanding electrical and high service temperature properties.