ULTEM® 1000 Rod

ULTEM® 1000 is unfilled polyetherimide, an amber, amorphous high-performance thermoplastic supplied as rod, plate and calendered sheet. It carries a glass transition temperature of 217°C and a heat deflection temperature of 392°F at 264 psi, holding continuous service near 340°F with very high creep resistance. Tensile strength is 15,200 psi with a tensile modulus of 430,000 psi and flexural strength of 22,000 psi. It is inherently flame retardant, rated UL94 V-0 and 5VA with a limiting oxygen index of 47%, insulates at 830 V/mil dielectric strength in air, and resists hydrolysis well enough for repeated steam sterilisation and caustic or chlorinated cleaning.

It is specified where heat, flame and electrical performance have to coexist: aircraft interior brackets, ducting and antenna components; semiconductor test sockets, wafer handling and burn-in hardware; medical and laboratory fixtures that see autoclave cycles; and electrical insulators, coil forms and fuse housings. Stock is RoHS compliant and halogen-free per IEC 61249-2-21, the resin meets FAR 25.853 for aircraft interiors, and the UL relative temperature index is 170°C. It machines to tight tolerance with carbide tooling, and stress relieving between roughing and finishing pays off. Being amorphous, it is susceptible to environmental stress cracking from partially halogenated solvents and some cutting fluids, so choose coolants carefully.