PEEK-Medical-Grade
ASTM F2026
PEEK-Medical-Grade is unfilled or fiber-reinforced polyaryletherketone supplied to ASTM F2026 for surgical implant and instrument use, valued for radiolucency, biocompatibility and a 3.8 GPa modulus close to cortical bone.
Reference datasheet — PEEK-Medical-Grade is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
PEEK-Medical-Grade grades and fills
PEEK-Medical-Grade is supplied in 7 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 7 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HA-enhanced | Use for interbody cages/implants where bone apposition and osteoconductivity at the implant surface are required. | 83 | 85 | 7 | 87 Shore D |
Image-contrast / radiopaque | Choose when the device must be visible on X-ray/CT while keeping PEEK's polymer behaviour (typically 10–30% BaSO4). | 88 | 90 | 12 | 86 Shore D |
Long-term implantable certification | Full ASTM F2026 resin with master file / biocompatibility dossier for permanent implants. | 98 | 100 | 30 | 85 Shore D |
Solution annealed | Lower-cost medical-certified resin for reusable surgical instruments, sterilisation trays and short-contact devices. | 98 | 100 | 30 | 85 Shore D |
30% glass fibre reinforced medical grade | Stiffer and dimensionally stable instrument/handle components where electrical insulation and lower cost than CF are wanted. | 165 | 2.5 | ||
30% chopped carbon fibre reinforced implantable | Pick when load-bearing stiffness/strength is needed (spinal rods, plates, trauma) and full radiolucency is not required. | 235 | 1.8 | 102 HRM | |
Continuous / long carbon fibre reinforced | For metal-replacement trauma plates and nails needing very high unidirectional strength and fatigue life. | 880 | 900 | 1.4 | 90 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PEEK-Medical-Grade is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
3DP | Implantable filament / powder for additive manufacturing | Printing process |
NATDefault | Natural / unfilled implantable | Standard supply |
What is PEEK-Medical-Grade?
PEEK-Medical-Grade is unfilled or fiber-reinforced polyaryletherketone supplied to ASTM F2026 for surgical implant and instrument use, valued for radiolucency, biocompatibility and a 3.8 GPa modulus close to cortical bone. It is specified for long-term implantable parts and reusable instruments that must survive repeated steam sterilisation, and comes as implant-grade rod and plate, moulding resin and AM filament. Base properties are 100 MPa tensile strength, 30% elongation and 1.3 g/cm³ density. Traceability requirements and cost are high, and the polymer is bioinert, so bone ingrowth needs an HA or titanium surface layer. PEEK-Medical-Grade has a density of 1.3 g/cm³ (0.047 lb/in³), heavier than 69% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 143°C (289 °F). PEEK-Medical-Grade has a yield strength of 98 MPa (14.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 95% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 3.8 GPa (0.551 Msi).
What is PEEK-Medical-Grade used for?
- spinal cages
- orthopedic implants
- dental abutments
- surgical instrument components
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 95/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- High strength — 98 MPa (14.2 ksi), better than 95% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), better than 94% of polymer grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 4 MPa·√m (3.64 ksi·√in), better than 92% of polymer grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 13 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 93% of polymer grades
PEEK-Medical-Grade properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
PEEK-Medical-Grade has a density of 1.3 g/cm³ (0.047 lb/in³), heavier than 69% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 143°C (289 °F).
Mechanical17
PEEK-Medical-Grade has a yield strength of 98 MPa (14.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 95% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 3.8 GPa (0.551 Msi).
Thermal11
PEEK-Medical-Grade is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 0.25 W/m·K (0.144 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 47 µm/m·K (26.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PEEK-Medical-Grade is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (95/100), better than 97% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PEEK-Medical-Grade takes about 290 MJ of energy and emits 13 kg of CO₂ — more than 95% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
PEEK-Medical-Grade's machinability is very good (70/100, better than 74% of polymer grades); weldability good (60/100); formability fair (40/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. PEEK-Medical-Grade is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PEEK-Medical-Grade
Is PEEK-Medical-Grade easy to machine?
Machines easily with sharp carbide/PCD tools, high speed and light feeds; keep tools sharp and use air or clean coolant, and stress-relieve (annealed rod, 150→200 °C) to avoid dimensional drift and micro-cracking on thin sections.
Can PEEK-Medical-Grade be welded?
Ultrasonic, laser, IR and hot-plate welding all work above Tm, but for implants joining is usually avoided; solvent bonding is impossible and adhesives need plasma or sulfonation pre-treatment.
Can PEEK-Medical-Grade be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mould at 360–400 °C melt with a 175–205 °C mould for full crystallinity; dry to <0.05% moisture (150 °C, 3 h) and design uniform walls — a cold mould yields amorphous, brittle, brownish parts.
PEEK-Medical-Grade chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| carbon fiber0 in default grade; 30% chopped in CFR30, up to ~60–68% in continuous-fibre composites | 0 – 68 | 0 |
| glass fiberGF30 variant only | 0 – 30 | 0 |
| barium sulfate (BaSO4)Image-contrast variant only | 0 – 30 | 0 |
| hydroxyapatite (HA)Osteoconductive variant only | 0 – 20 | 0 |
| poly(ether-ether-ketone) repeat unit (biVirgin, fully traceable resin; ASTM F2026 limits residual solvent, ash and extractables; no processing additives permitted for long-term implant grades | balance |
What surface finishes work on PEEK-Medical-Grade?
Turn/mill to a fine finish then polish or bead-blast; osteointegration surfaces are created by plasma spray of Ti/HA, plasma etching or 3D-printed porous layers rather than by coating adhesion alone.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PEEK-Medical-Grade in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- F2026
How much does PEEK-Medical-Grade cost?
PEEK-Medical-Grade is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PEEK-Medical-Grade — frequently asked
What is PEEK-Medical-Grade used for?
PEEK-Medical-Grade is typically used for spinal cages, orthopedic implants, dental abutments and surgical instrument components. In short: ASTM F2026 implant grade; radiolucent, bone-like modulus; full lot traceability.
What is the yield strength of PEEK-Medical-Grade?
PEEK-Medical-Grade has a typical yield strength of 98 MPa (14.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 95% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is PEEK-Medical-Grade easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, better than 74% of polymer grades). Machines easily with sharp carbide/PCD tools, high speed and light feeds; keep tools sharp and use air or clean coolant, and stress-relieve (annealed rod, 150→200 °C) to avoid dimensional drift and micro-cracking on thin sections.
Can PEEK-Medical-Grade be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Ultrasonic, laser, IR and hot-plate welding all work above Tm, but for implants joining is usually avoided; solvent bonding is impossible and adhesives need plasma or sulfonation pre-treatment.
What surface finishes work on PEEK-Medical-Grade?
Turn/mill to a fine finish then polish or bead-blast; osteointegration surfaces are created by plasma spray of Ti/HA, plasma etching or 3D-printed porous layers rather than by coating adhesion alone.
Can PEEK-Medical-Grade be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mould at 360–400 °C melt with a 175–205 °C mould for full crystallinity; dry to <0.05% moisture (150 °C, 3 h) and design uniform walls — a cold mould yields amorphous, brittle, brownish parts.
What is the maximum service temperature of PEEK-Medical-Grade?
PEEK-Medical-Grade is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F), and briefly to 300°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PEEK-Medical-Grade cost?
PEEK-Medical-Grade is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM F2026 — Standard Specification for Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Polymers for Surgical Implant Applications — ASTM International (2023)
- ISO 10993 series — Biological evaluation of medical devices — ISO (2018)
- PEEK-OPTIMA Natural / Reinforced / HA Enhanced datasheets — Invibio Biomaterial Solutions (2023)
- VESTAKEEP i-Grade implantable PEEK product information — Evonik (2023)
- Zeniva PEEK / Solviva Biomaterials data — Solvay Specialty Polymers (2022)
- VICTREX PEEK 450G / medical grade property tables — Victrex plc (2023)
- PEEK Biomaterials Handbook (S. Kurtz, ed.) — Elsevier/William Andrew (2019)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector polyaryletherketone datasets — CAMPUS-Plastics / UL (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.