A Is PEEK Harder Than Steel? The Truth About This Engineering Plastic
If you're looking for a strong, durable material for your engineering project, you might be wondering whether PEEK (polyether ether ketone) is harder than steel. PEEK is a type of high-performance plastic that's often used in place of metal due to its unique properties. In this article, we'll take a closer look at PEEK and steel to see how they compare in terms of hardness, strength, and other important factors.
What is PEEK?
PEEK is a thermoplastic polymer that's known for its excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. It was first developed in the 1970s and has since become a popular material in the engineering industry due to its unique combination of properties.
PEEK is often used in place of metal due to its high strength, stiffness, and resistance to wear, impact, and temperature extremes. It's also lightweight, electrically insulating, and biocompatible, making it ideal for use in a wide range of applications.
What is steel?
Steel is a metal alloy that's made from iron and other elements, such as carbon, manganese, and chromium. It's one of the most common materials used in the engineering industry due to its high strength, durability, and versatility.
Steel is often used in applications where high strength and toughness are required, such as in construction, transportation, and manufacturing. It's also highly resistant to corrosion, which makes it ideal for use in harsh environments.
How do PEEK and steel compare in terms of hardness?
Hardness is a measure of a material's resistance to deformation, scratching, and indentation. It's an important factor to consider when choosing a material for an engineering project, as it can affect the material's ability to withstand wear, impact, and other forms of stress.
In general, steel is harder than PEEK. Steel has a Mohs hardness of 5-8, depending on the type of steel, while PEEK has a Mohs hardness of around 3.5. This means that steel is more resistant to scratches and indentations than PEEK.
However, hardness is not the only factor to consider when comparing PEEK and steel. PEEK has other properties, such as high stiffness and fatigue resistance, that make it an excellent choice for certain applications, even if it's not as hard as steel.
How do PEEK and steel compare in terms of strength?
Strength is a measure of a material's ability to withstand stress, such as tension, compression, or bending, without breaking or deforming. It's another important factor to consider when choosing a material for an engineering project.
In general, steel is stronger than PEEK. Steel has a tensile strength of around 400-2,000 MPa, depending on the type of steel, while PEEK has a tensile strength of around 90-160 MPa. This means that steel can withstand higher levels of stress than PEEK.
However, strength is not the only factor to consider when comparing PEEK and steel. PEEK has other properties, such as high impact resistance and fatigue strength, that make it
