Sheet in FEP AB 3000x1500 mm natural

A Sheet in FEP AB is a thin fluoropolymer film where one surface has been treated with antiblock. The matte side reduces the tendency of neighboring layers to suck onto each other during storage, transport and handling. The rest of the material properties are the same as in ordinary FEP, which makes the sheet useful where you want both the resistance of a fluoropolymer and a surface that does not behave like a suction cup.

FEP is fluorinated ethylene propylene, a thermoplastic fluoropolymer in the same family as PTFE. The material has very good chemical resistance to acids, bases, solvents and most chemicals found in industry. It takes continuous temperatures well above a hundred degrees and keeps its properties far below zero as well. Friction is low, the surface is hydrophobic and foreign substances have a hard time sticking to it, so dirt and deposits do not settle as easily as on most other plastics.

The biggest advantage over PTFE is that FEP is meltable. That means sheets can be welded, shaped with heat and thermoformed into trays, linings and membranes. Thin films are at the same time clear enough that processes behind an FEP guard can often be watched directly.

The antiblock surface comes into play when the sheet is going to be stacked, rolled up or laid in several layers. Without AB treatment, thin FEP layers tend to vacuum themselves onto each other, especially with heat and pressure during storage. The AB side counteracts that without changing the chemical resistance of the fluoropolymer in any meaningful way. Often only one side is AB treated while the opposite side is glossy.

Common uses are release films in presses and autoclaves, release layers in laminating and composite production, windows and sight glasses in chemical processes, linings against corrosive environments and electrical insulation where the dielectric properties matter. In medical technology and food production, FEP is used where you need a clean, durable material that takes cleaning and disinfection.

The sheet is supplied in thinner gauges and in formats matched to the chosen production series. For larger areas, FEP AB also comes as a roll. For machining, the same methods apply as for other thermoplastic fluoropolymers: cutting with a sharp knife, punching, heat forming and welding with FEP Welding Rod.

Do you need help picking the right thickness, or working out whether the AB side should face in or out in your application? Get in touch.

At 3000x1500 mm this FEP sheet clads a whole tank wall at a time. The aramid fabric on the back carries the glued joint where the fluoropolymer itself does not stick.