High temperature. Highly resistant. Flame retardant.
PPS (Ryton, Fortron) handles 260 °C continuous service with inherent UL 94 V-0 flame retardancy and broad chemical resistance. A step up from PEEK in cost-effectiveness for non-medical high-temperature applications. Standard for automotive under-hood, pump components, and electrical connectors.
At a glance
- Density
- 1.35 g/cc
- Tensile strength
- 85 MPa
- Flexural modulus
- 4.0 GPa
- Elongation
- 2 %
- HDT (0.45 MPa)
- 260 °C
- Tg
- 90 °C
- Continuous service
- 220 °C
- Flame rating
- UL 94 V-0
Key data
- Density
- 1.35 g/cc
- Tensile strength
- 85 MPa
- Flexural modulus
- 4.0 GPa
- Elongation
- 2 %
- HDT (0.45 MPa)
- 260 °C
- Tg
- 90 °C
- Continuous service
- 220 °C
- Flame rating
- UL 94 V-0
PPS grades.
PPS unfilled
Solvay Ryton R-4. Unfilled polymer. Brittle but highly chemical resistant. Used for research and compounding. Rarely specified for production.
PPS-GF40
Most common PPS grade. 40% glass-fiber filled. Tensile 180 MPa, flexural modulus 12 GPa. Standard for automotive under-hood, electrical connectors.
PPS-GF/Mineral
Hybrid glass + mineral filler. Improved surface finish vs pure glass-filled. Pump components, valve internals.
PPS Long-Fiber
Long glass fiber instead of short. Improved impact strength. Structural automotive brackets, high-load components.
PPS Conductive
Carbon fiber filled for electrical conductivity. Semiconductor handling, ESD-dissipative fixtures.
PPS Medical
Higher-purity grade approved for medical fluid contact. Surgical instrument bodies, diagnostic equipment housings.
Unfilled PPS is rare — most grades contain glass or mineral fillers for strength and dimensional stability. Each filler targets specific properties.
When PPS beats other plastics.
Thermal stability
HDT 260 °C with 220 °C continuous service. Dimensional stability better than most engineering plastics.
Chemical resistance
Resists almost all common chemicals at elevated temperature. Approaches PTFE in chemical inertness for less critical applications.
Inherent flame retardancy
UL 94 V-0 without FR additives. Low smoke generation. Used for aircraft cabin interiors where FR + low smoke matter.
Low moisture absorption
0.03% water absorption — virtually dimensionally stable in humid environments. Matches PTFE in this property.
PPS occupies a specific niche: high-temperature applications where PEEK is overkill and Ultem's transparency isn't needed.
PPS applications.
Automotive under-hood
PPS-GF40 fuel system components, cooling hardware, intake manifolds
Electrical connectors
Connector bodies, terminal blocks, insulator supports — flame retardant
Pump components
Impellers, seals, housings for chemical pumps — chemical resistance
Valve internals
Ball valve seats, needle valve components, flow control hardware
Sensor housings
Thermocouple protection tubes, pressure sensor bodies in harsh environments
Aircraft interior
PPS-GF seat frames, ceiling panels — FR + low smoke compliant
Semiconductor handling
ESD-dissipative PPS for wafer carriers, test fixtures
Industrial ovens
Conveyor components, tooling for high-temperature processes
Chemical processing
Tanks, pipe hangers, valve operators in corrosive chemical environments
PPS finishing.
As-machined
Ra 1.6 µm typical. Dark tan/brown color. Visible tool marks normal on glass-filled variants.
Bead blasted
Matte uniform finish. Minimizes tool mark visibility.
Laser marked
Excellent contrast on PPS. Standard for serial numbers and part IDs.
Pad printed
Accepts high-temperature pad print inks. For connector body markings.
Bonded
PPS is difficult to bond — surface preparation (plasma) required before adhesive use.
Ultrasonic welded
Welds to itself and some other thermoplastics. Alternative to mechanical fasteners.
Pressed inserts
Threaded metal inserts pressed or heat-staked into PPS parts for assembly.
Machined threads
Threads machine directly and hold reliably — glass-filled PPS doesn't strip easily.
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High temperature — questions
PPS vs PEEK — when does each make sense?
PEEK for: implantable medical, extreme temperature (above 260 °C), highest mechanical strength (CF30 filled), premium-cost-justified applications. PPS for: automotive under-hood, electrical connectors, pump and valve components — applications where PEEK's extreme properties aren't needed but high-temperature and chemical resistance are. PPS is approximately 1/5 the cost of PEEK per kg.
Why does PPS machine differently than PEEK?
PPS is more brittle than PEEK — chips tend to shatter rather than curl. Glass-filled PPS aggressively wears carbide tools (diamond-coated/PCD preferred). PPS has lower Tg (90 °C vs 143 °C for PEEK) so cutting temperatures need careful control — machining parameters similar to nylon rather than high-temperature plastics. Overall, PPS machines acceptably but with extra tool cost vs simpler plastics.
Is PPS suitable for food contact?
FDA-compliant PPS grades (specific Ryton and Fortron product lines) meet FDA 21 CFR 177.2490 for food contact. Standard industrial PPS is usually not automatically food-safe. Specify food-grade explicitly. Common food applications: oven conveyors, dishwasher components, food processing equipment where temperature resistance matters.
How does PPS compare to PPSU (Radel)?
PPS: higher chemical resistance, higher continuous service temperature, cheaper, but brittle and opaque tan/brown. PPSU (polyphenyl sulfone, Radel): transparent amber, higher impact strength, slightly lower temperature capability. For optical or transparent high-temperature applications, PPSU. For structural chemical/thermal, PPS.
What lead time for PPS parts?
Standard glass-filled PPS-GF40 is in stock or 1-week lead time. Unfilled, specialty filled, and medical-grade PPS have 2–3 week material lead times. Machining time similar to glass-filled nylon. Typical complete order: 2–3 weeks for standard, 4–5 weeks for specialty grades.
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