Poly-X: new-to-the-world ultra-light polymer with the strength of a metal

The aerospace industry has been searching for years for materials combining exceptional strength and lightweight.

Existing materials have limitations like:

- the brittleness of ceramics,

- the challenges of fiber alignment in fiber reinforced plastics;

- the weight of metal.

Other industries such as oil&gas, healthcare, semiconductors or smart devices are facing similar challenges with regard to finding materials that offer very high strength together with a combination of other exceptional features.

We have developed a new class of polymeric materials - Poly-X, addressing all of those gaps in a single material. Key figures:

- density 1.2g/cm3

- tensile modulus as high as 8.5 GPa

- strength of up to 200MPa in the polymer itself

- rockwell hardness up to 64 (B scale)

- limiting oxygen index up to 55%

- heat deflection temperature around 155°C

- thermal expansion coefficient 30-33ppm/°C

- dielectric constant 3.1 (at 10^6Hz)

- moisture absorption (30 days) as a low as 0.58%

Comparison with other materials:

- average strength to failure 5-10 times that of carbon-fiber filled PEEK despite having data sheet tensile strength 25% lower

- cheaper and more corrosion resistant than titanium

- better machinability & longer life than ceramics

Other properties:

- highly fire resistant: insulates and doesn't burn even if exposed to heat over 2000°C

- virtually impervious to very strong acids and bases

- transparent amber-coloured