FEP
FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene)
Fluoropolymers
Fluoropolymers are ideal for medical and biopharmaceutical processing equipment because they have excellent chemical and thermal resistance. Their molecules have continuous non-reactive surfaces and are compatible with virtually all chemicals and solvents. They are far more resistant to chemical attack than conventional chlorinated and hydrocarbon polymers, and have far higher service temperatures. There are a number of materials in the Fluoropolymer family. PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is the original Fluoropolymer, discovered by DuPont in 1938. From this original development there have been a number of other materials developed – trying to improve on the difficult processing characteristics of PTFE. These have been more or less successful, having to trade properties of PTFE in order to attain other characteristics. The principal materials used in the industries that we serve are:
- PTFE
- PEEK
- PCTFE
- PVDF
- PFA
- PVDF
FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) is another melt-processible Fluoropolymer. It does not have the almost universal chemical resistance of PTFE and PFA and its maximum operating temperature in service is 150 Deg C. CRP uses the material occasionally for the manufacture of “sheet lined products”. This is essentially a lining made up of sheet and tube elements of FEP welded together in situ. Sheet lining allows one to line complex articles without the use of expensive moulding tools, to cope with the inevitable tolerance errors of welded fabricated steelwork and with the use of bonded linings to provide a degree of vacuum performance. Where the chemical performance and temperature duty are not an issue, the material provides a less expensive alternative to PFA.
