The Standard for Plain Bearings
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a highly machinable engineering plastic distinguished by its high mechanical strength and excellent sliding properties.
Thermally, PET can be used continuously at temperatures up to approximately 115°C (239°F) and can withstand short-term exposure to temperatures of up to 140°C (284°F), while maintaining a stable combination of mechanical and chemical resistance.
With a very low moisture absorption rate of typically around 0.3%, PET retains its dimensional stability even under changing environmental conditions. Due to its low internal stress and minimal water uptake, its properties remain largely unchanged over time. The material also offers high stiffness (modulus of elasticity approximately 3,000 MPa) and a tensile strength of approximately 80–85 MPa.
In addition, PET exhibits excellent dimensional stability and high wear resistance, making it an ideal material for technical precision applications.
Applications of PET:
PET is widely used in industry for plain bearings and guide components. Typical application areas include the beverage filling industry, food processing industry, medical technology, and bulk material handling systems.
Typical application areas:
- Wear and Sliding Components
- Precision Components for Machinery and Equipment Engineering
- Components for Conveyor and Packaging Systems
Properties of PET at a glance:
- Excellent Sliding Properties
- High stiffness
- Outstanding Dimensional Stability
- High Thermal Stability (Melting Point Approx. 250°C / 482°F)
- Good chemical resistance
- Good Creep Resistance
- Low Moisture Absorption
- Excellent Price-to-Performance Ratio
Technical properties of PET:
| Properties | Unit | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Color | White opak | |
| Density | g/cm³ | 1,39 |
| Tensile strength | N/mm² | 91 |
| Yield elongation | % | 4 |
| Elongation at break | % | 14 |
| Compressive Modulus | MPa | 2800 |
| Flexural strength | MPa | 134 |
| Maximum continuous service temperature (20,000 h) | °C | 100 |
| Maximum short-term service temperature | °C | 100 |
| Volume resistivity | Ω * cm | 1014 |
| Surface resistivity | Ω | 1014 |
Material datasheet available for download:
Further Important Engineering Plastics and High-Performance Plastics:
Read more:
