The common semi-crystalline high-performance plastics include PPA, PPS, and PEEK. The advantage of high-performance plastics is their ability to retain their mechanical qualities in considerably higher temperatures – 150 °C and above – than normal engineering plastic. Their chemical resistance is also excellent and many of the materials are self-extinguishing.
Fluoropolymers PVDF, PFA, FEP, ETFE have extreme chemical resistance, low friction and are the only plastic material group that is practically immune to UV-light. The best-known fluoropolymer PTFE (Teflon) in not injection moldable, but demonstrates well the unique qualities of the material group.
Amorphous high-performance plastics, such as PSU, PES, and PEI are typically chosen due to their dimensional accuracy, electrical insulating properties, and resistance to hydrolysis. They do not serve well in functional, moving, and load-carrying machine parts.