PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT
Reinforced grade
ASTM F2026
CF-CONT = continuous / long carbon fibre reinforced
For metal-replacement trauma plates and nails needing very high unidirectional strength and fatigue life.
Values for the CF-CONT condition
Other PEEK-Medical-Grade grades and fills
PEEK-Medical-Grade is listed in 7 conditions; see the grade overview at PEEK-Medical-Grade.
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 |
CF-CONTThis page 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 |
What is PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT?
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT is PEEK-Medical-Grade in the CF-CONT grade — for metal-replacement trauma plates and nails needing very high unidirectional strength and fatigue life. PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT has a yield strength of 880 MPa (128 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 101% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 1.4% and the elastic modulus is 100 GPa (14.5 Msi). PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT has a density of 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 143°C (289 °F).
Advantages
- High strength — 880 MPa (128 ksi), better than 101% of polymer grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 25 MPa·√m (22.8 ksi·√in), better than 101% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 100 GPa (14.5 Msi), better than 100% of polymer grades
- Conducts heat well — 1 W/m·K (0.578 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 100% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), better than 94% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 1.4%, worse than 98% of polymer grades
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- High embodied carbon — 13 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 35/100, worse than 84% of polymer grades
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT properties
Typical room-temperature values for PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT; 24 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are PEEK-Medical-Grade reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT has a density of 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 143°C (289 °F).
Mechanical17
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT has a yield strength of 880 MPa (128 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 101% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 1.4% and the elastic modulus is 100 GPa (14.5 Msi).
Thermal11
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 1 W/m·K (0.578 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 100% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 47 µm/m·K (26.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 0.001 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 91% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT 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 CF-CONT's machinability is fair (35/100, worse than 84% of polymer grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT
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.
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.
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 | — |
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT — frequently asked
What is PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT used for?
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT 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 CF-CONT?
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT has a typical yield strength of 880 MPa (128 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 101% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, worse than 84% 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 CF-CONT be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). 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 CF-CONT?
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 CF-CONT 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 CF-CONT?
PEEK-Medical-Grade CF-CONT 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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.