Description
Acetal (Polyoxymethylene) is a semi-crystalline material that provides high strength and stiffness while maintaining a low coefficient of friction and good wear properties in wet environments. Excellent for high moisture or submerged applications, Acetal significantly outperforms Nylon in these environments.
Acetal also has a high resistance to a variety of chemicals and is used for electrical insulators, industrial bearings, rollers, gears and scraper blades. However, unmodified Acetal does not perform as well as nylons in general abrasive wear applications.
Several different grades of Acetals are available: PTFE-filled Acetals with lower coefficients of friction (ideal where impact strength and wear capability are needed), glass-reinforced Acetals with a much higher strength and greater heat resistance and FDA-compliant Acetals for medical- and food-related applications.
An acceptable material for a broad range of general applications in the Aerospace & Defense, Medical and Power & Energy industries at temperatures below 250°F (121°C), there are a wide range of extruded shapes and sizes available for machining.
