Polyethersulfone (PES)
PES is a thermoplastic, further classified as a sulfone plastic. It has a moderately high ductility and a moderately high tensile strength among thermoplastics. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare PES to: sulfone plastics (top), all thermoplastics (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
2.6 GPa 0.38 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
65 %
Flexural Modulus
2.6 GPa 0.38 x 106 psi
Flexural Strength
130 MPa 18 x 103 psi
Impact Strength: Notched Izod
91 J/m 1.7 ft-lb/in
Rockwell M Hardness
88
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
87 MPa 13 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Glass Transition Temperature
220 °C 430 °F
Heat Deflection Temperature At 1.82 MPa (264 psi)
200 °C 390 °F
Heat Deflection Temperature At 455 kPa (66 psi)
210 °C 410 °F
Maximum Temperature: Autoignition
500 °C 930 °F
Maximum Temperature: Decomposition
540 °C 1000 °F
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
200 °C 380 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
1100 J/kg-K 0.26 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
0.18 W/m-K 0.1 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
53 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 Hz
3.5
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz
3.5
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential)
16 kV/mm 0.63 V/mil
Electrical Dissipation At 1 Hz
0.0010
Electrical Dissipation At 1 MHz
0.0035
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude
15 10x Ω-m
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Density
1.4 g/cm3 86 lb/ft3
Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI)
36 %
Water Absorption After 24 Hours
0.34 %
Common Calculations
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
1.1 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
33 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
18 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
32 points
Thermal Diffusivity
0.12 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
45 points
Followup Questions
Further Reading
SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed., Michael L. Berins (editor), 2000
Modern Plastics Handbook, Charles A. Harper (editor), 1999
Plastics Materials, 7th ed., J. A. Brydson, 1999