Sheet in PPS GF40 2000x610 mm beige

A sheet in PPS GF40 is polyphenylene sulfide reinforced with 40 percent glass fiber. The glass fiber gives a powerful rise in stiffness, tensile strength and dimensional stability compared with unreinforced PPS, while the material keeps its electrically insulating character. It is the broad industrial middle grade of PPS: stiffer than CMP, more insulating than CF50.

A PPS base means an unusually complete set of properties. The continuous working temperature is 220 °C, and for short periods the material handles even higher. The lowest working temperature is around -20 °C without the material becoming brittle in practice. The fire rating is V0 according to UL 94, which makes the material attractive in applications with strict fire requirements, and water absorption is negligible. Chemical resistance is very broad; the material resists acids, bases and organic solvents, but is attacked by strong oxidizing acids.

The glass fiber reinforcement lifts stiffness and tensile strength substantially and lowers the coefficient of thermal expansion. For a designer that means tolerances and fits hold across a wide temperature range, and that a part carrying a load over a long time creeps less than the equivalent unreinforced material. The glass fiber is also electrically insulating, which makes the grade suitable in electrical applications where PPS CF50 would be too conductive.

Sheet in PPS GF40 is used among other things for insulation and support plates in high temperature environments, fixtures in soldering processes, valve parts and pump housings where a pumped liquid is chemically aggressive, as well as mechanical components in contact with steam and hot water. In electrolysis cells and in parts of the process industry the combination of chemical resistance and electrical insulation is used at the same time. The material is well established in the automotive industry for parts under the hood where both heat and liquids are a problem.

Machining requires carbide tools since the glass fiber is abrasive. Count on a shorter tool life than when machining unreinforced plastic, and choose geometries that cut the fibers rather than pull them out. Sharp edges, moderate feeds and plenty of chip space give the best result. When drilling, pecking is suitable, and in milling a climb cutting strategy gives the best surface. The material has low internal stresses in sheet form, but after heavy material removal a mild annealing can be worth the trouble for dimensionally critical parts.

Thicknesses are normally available between 5 and 80 mm. PPS GF40 is a more expensive material than the standard plastics, so the tolerance requirements on a starting piece should decide whether it is wise to start from a large board or from a smaller format close to the final measurement.

Are you unsure whether GF40 or a higher fiber content suits your design? We go through the mechanics and the chemistry in your process together.

In beige and format 2000x610 mm the glass fiber reinforced sheet gives material for larger milled components for hot media. The color separates it from the black grades, the material is the same.