Ultem 1000
Ultem 1000 is SABIC's unfilled polyetherimide (PEI), an amber-transparent amorphous high-temperature thermoplastic that serves as the baseline reference for PEI mechanical and thermal data: 1.27 g/cm3 density, 105 MPa tensile strength, 60 % elongation, 3.2 GPa modulus and 170 C maximum service temperature.
Reference datasheet — Ultem 1000 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.
Ultem 1000 grades and fills
Ultem 1000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bearing / wear grade | Choose for unlubricated sliding contact at high PV and temperature — low friction and wear at the cost of strength and elongation. | 88 | 90 | 10 | 85 Shore D |
ESD / static-dissipative PEI | Surface resistivity in the 10^6–10^9 Ω window for wafer carriers, test sockets and ATE fixtures. | 110 | 110 | 4 | 88 Shore D |
10% glass-fiber reinforced | Modest stiffness and dimensional-stability boost while keeping reasonable toughness and surface finish. | 124 | 6 | ||
20% glass-fiber reinforced | Mid-range structural grade balancing stiffness, warpage and creep resistance in hot electrical housings. | 152 | 4 | ||
30% glass-fiber reinforced | The workhorse reinforced PEI for structural brackets, connectors and steam-exposed parts needing low creep to 200 °C. | 169 | 3 | 114 HRM | |
40% glass-fiber reinforced | Maximum-stiffness glass grade for metal-replacement parts where CTE must approach that of aluminium. | 200 | 2.5 | ||
30% carbon-fiber reinforced PEI | Highest specific stiffness plus static-dissipative surface; used in semiconductor handling and aerospace structural clips. | 220 | 1.8 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Ultem 1000 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
EXT | Extruded / compression-moulded stock shape | Supply form |
FDM | FDM/FFF filament grade PEI | Printing process |
HU | Healthcare / biocompatible grade | Certification |
NATDefault | Unfilled / Natural | Standard supply |
What is Ultem 1000?
Ultem 1000 is SABIC's unfilled polyetherimide (PEI), an amber-transparent amorphous high-temperature thermoplastic that serves as the baseline reference for PEI mechanical and thermal data: 1.27 g/cm3 density, 105 MPa tensile strength, 60 % elongation, 3.2 GPa modulus and 170 C maximum service temperature. Engineers use it for sterilizable and electrically insulating parts machined from plate and rod or molded directly, with GF10-GF40, CF30, lubricated, ESD, hydrolysis-resistant, extrusion and FDM grades available. Machinability rates 65, but the resin is stress-crack sensitive to chlorinated and some other solvents and costs far more than commodity engineering plastics. Ultem 2300 is the choice when stiffness and dimensional stability outweigh toughness and transparency. Ultem 1000 has a density of 1.27 g/cm³ (0.0459 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 217°C (423 °F). Ultem 1000 has a yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 60% and the elastic modulus is 3.2 GPa (0.464 Msi).
What is Ultem 1000 used for?
- aerospace interior components
- medical sterilizable trays
- electrical connectors
- precision machined parts
- food processing equipment
Advantages
- High strength — 105 MPa (15.2 ksi), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of polymer grades
- High service temperature — 170°C (338 °F), better than 83% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 3.2 GPa (0.464 Msi), better than 77% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 8.5 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 85% of polymer grades
Ultem 1000 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
Ultem 1000 has a density of 1.27 g/cm³ (0.0459 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 217°C (423 °F).
Mechanical17
Ultem 1000 has a yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 60% and the elastic modulus is 3.2 GPa (0.464 Msi).
Thermal11
Ultem 1000 is rated for continuous service to 170°C (338 °F). It conducts heat at 0.22 W/m·K (0.127 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 60% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 55 µm/m·K (30.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
Ultem 1000 is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 33 kV/mm (838.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁵ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 65% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Ultem 1000 takes about 250 MJ of energy and emits 8.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 92% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
Ultem 1000's machinability is good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades); weldability good (60/100); formability fair (50/100).
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. Ultem 1000 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Ultem 1000
Is Ultem 1000 easy to machine?
Machines like a hard amorphous plastic with sharp, polished-flute carbide tools, high speed and light finishing cuts; use air or water-soluble coolant (never chlorinated solvents) and anneal at ~190 °C to relieve stress before final passes.
Can Ultem 1000 be welded?
Joins by ultrasonic, hot-plate, vibration, laser and IR welding as well as adhesive bonding with epoxies; solvent bonding is possible but leaves residual stress-crack risk.
Can Ultem 1000 be formed, bent or molded?
Dry pellets 4–6 h at 150 °C to <0.02% moisture, mould at 340–400 °C melt with 135–175 °C tools; sheet thermoforms around 220–250 °C with generous draft and slow cooling.
Ultem 1000 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.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) |
|---|---|
| glass fiber0% in Ultem 1000; 10–40% in the 2000-series variants | ≈ 0 |
| polyetherimide (BPA-dianhydride + m-phenUnfilled amorphous PEI homopolymer; no added halogen flame retardant | balance |
What surface finishes work on Ultem 1000?
Takes vapour-free polishing to optical clarity, hard coatings, painting and vacuum metallizing after plasma or primer treatment; pigment/paint or UV-stable topcoats are needed for outdoor exposure.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Ultem 1000 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- PEIPEI 1000
How much does Ultem 1000 cost?
Ultem 1000 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.
Ultem 1000 — frequently asked
What is Ultem 1000 used for?
Ultem 1000 is typically used for aerospace interior components, medical sterilizable trays, electrical connectors, precision machined parts and food processing equipment. In short: baseline reference PEI grade; transparent high-temperature thermoplastic; machines from plate and rod.
What is the yield strength of Ultem 1000?
Ultem 1000 has a typical yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is Ultem 1000 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades). Machines like a hard amorphous plastic with sharp, polished-flute carbide tools, high speed and light finishing cuts; use air or water-soluble coolant (never chlorinated solvents) and anneal at ~190 °C to relieve stress before final passes.
Can Ultem 1000 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Joins by ultrasonic, hot-plate, vibration, laser and IR welding as well as adhesive bonding with epoxies; solvent bonding is possible but leaves residual stress-crack risk.
What surface finishes work on Ultem 1000?
Takes vapour-free polishing to optical clarity, hard coatings, painting and vacuum metallizing after plasma or primer treatment; pigment/paint or UV-stable topcoats are needed for outdoor exposure.
Can Ultem 1000 be formed, bent or molded?
Dry pellets 4–6 h at 150 °C to <0.02% moisture, mould at 340–400 °C melt with 135–175 °C tools; sheet thermoforms around 220–250 °C with generous draft and slow cooling.
What is the maximum service temperature of Ultem 1000?
Ultem 1000 is rated for continuous use to about 170°C (338 °F), and briefly to 200°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Ultem 1000 cost?
Ultem 1000 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
- ULTEM Resin 1000 Product Datasheet — SABIC Specialties (2023)
- CAMPUS Plastics — Polyetherimide (PEI) unfilled data sets — CWFG / CAMPUS (2023)
- TECAPEI natural stock shape datasheet — Ensinger (2022)
- Duratron U1000 PEI datasheet — Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (2022)
- ASTM D638 / D790 / D648 / D256 / D257 test methods — ASTM International (2022)
- Engineering Plastics Handbook — high-temperature amorphous polymers — McGraw-Hill (2006)
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.