PEEK

What is PEEK?

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a halogen-free thermoplastic polymer material, or a plastic that can be melted and shaped, and then rehardens once cooled. It’s been around since the early 90s, and is used in many industries for applications where you need a mechanically tough material that’s resilient to radiation, chemicals, abrasion and extreme heat.

What are the main benefits of using PEEK in cables?

Of all the materials we use at Habia, PEEK (also known as HFI 260) is one of the most impressive all-round high-performance insulations. Its fire, smoke and chemical resistance properties compare favourably with the likes of ETFE and PTFE, as does its properties as a thin-wall material. 

Where PEEK has the edge is that it’s a completely halogen-free and flame-retardant material that comes with unsurpassed radiation resistance. It’s also a high-temperature material that can continue to operate safely in temperatures up to 260°C. 

There are two ways to process PEEK, each with different properties: amorphous PEEK gives the material more flexibility and is suitable for temperatures below 140°C, while crystalline PEEK increases its hardness and temperature range to up to 190°C for at least 20,000 hours.

Finally, it has a long product lifespan of 60+ years at continuous temperatures up to 90°C. 

What type of cables is PEEK usually used for?

Thanks to its unique properties, PEEK is often used for cable solutions in the nuclear and defence industries. They can be found in fighting vehicles, inside the reactor of a nuclear power plant, and anywhere else where durability and fire and radiation resistance are of crucial importance. It can also be found in marine, offshore and downhole applications. 

PEEK key properties

• Best performing material for radiation resistance
• Best performing low smoke, halogen-free material for a wide temperature range (-60ºC to +190ºC)
• Excellent fire, smoke and chemical resistance properties

Our PEEK cables

At Habia, we’ve been working with PEEK for decades, and it’s one of our main areas of expertise. It’s often a core material in our custom cable solutions, but it can also be found in our standard products, including:

• Nuclear power cables 
• Military cables