Teijin Limited today announced new grades of SOLFIGA®, its family of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) compounds, which offer excellent sliding properties without intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The new grades are also designed to help customers balance wear and friction performances with regulatory compliance.
SOLFIGA® PPS compound pellets. Image Credit: Teijin Limited
Teijin already supplies polybutylene naphthalate (PBN) resin with good sliding properties as its PFAS-Free product. By expanding PFAS-Free high-performance resin lineup, Teijin will further enhance its ability to meet increasingly diverse customer needs.
Gears using SOLFIGA® PPS compound (prototype). Image Credit: Teijin Limited
As with existing SOLFIGA® lineup, the PFAS-Free SOLFIGA® grades incorporate carbon fiber and aramid fiber as reinforcement. The carbon fiber-reinforced SOLFIGA® sliding grade provides high strength and rigidity for components used under high-load conditions. The aramid fiber-reinforced SOLFIGA® sliding grade reduces coefficient of friction (CoF)–one indicator of sliding performance–by approximately 70 percent compared with conventional products that do not use sliding agents. Its flexibility can help reduce damage to mating materials while allowing easier adjustment during assembly. Both types of SOLFIGA® sliding compounds offer high wear resistance for longer service life. Like Teijin’s PBN resin, they are less likely to scratch metal components such as aluminum. Also, Teijin can formulate them to produce sliding parts for a wide range of conditions by varying the amount of high-performance fibers. Applications for these new grades include components for automobiles, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, and other wear and friction applications.
PFAS-Free high-performance resins with sliding properties
| Product |
Features |
Expected Benefits for Sliding Components |
Application Examples |
| PPS compound SOLFIGA® Carbon fiber reinforced sliding grade |
Sliding property
Wear resistance
High strength and rigidity
High heat resistance |
SOLFIGA®'s high strength and rigidity support to improve reliability when use in high-load conditions |
Automotive parts Industrial equipment components (e.g., gears, actuators, valves, seating) |
| PPS compound SOLFIGA® Aramid fiber reinforced sliding grade |
Sliding property
Wear resistance
Flexibility
High heat resistance |
SOLFIGA®'s flexibility helps to reduce damage to mating materials, and allows adjustment during assembly |
| PBN resin |
Sliding property
Wear resistance
Chemical resistance
Low extractables |
PBN resin's chemical resistance and low extractables enable to reduce part and production lines' environmental contamination, and avoid impact to mating materials |
Industrial equipment components (e.g., gears, bearings, chemical mechanical polishing rings for semiconductor manufacturing process) |
Traditionally, manufacturers have used materials containing PFAS, such as fluoropolymer resins, to achieve good sliding properties and wear performance. However, PFAS chemicals persist in the environment for long periods, so countries around the world are moving to strengthen PFAS regulations. In recent years there has been growing demand for materials that achieve sliding and wear performance without intentionally added PFAS.
Based on customer challenges, Teijin aims to help reduce environmental impact and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by creating solutions that integrate internal and external technologies, products, and services.