Ultem 1000 GF20
Reinforced grade
GF20 = 20% glass-fiber reinforced
Mid-range structural grade balancing stiffness, warpage and creep resistance in hot electrical housings.
Values for the GF20 condition
Other Ultem 1000 grades and fills
Ultem 1000 is listed in 7 conditions; see the grade overview at Ultem 1000.
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 | — |
GF20This page 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 | — |
What is Ultem 1000 GF20?
Ultem 1000 GF20 is Ultem 1000 in the GF20 grade — mid-range structural grade balancing stiffness, warpage and creep resistance in hot electrical housings. Ultem 1000 GF20 has a yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 152 MPa (22 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 6.9 GPa (1 Msi). Ultem 1000 GF20 has a density of 1.42 g/cm³ (0.0513 lb/in³), heavier than 83% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 217°C (423 °F).
Advantages
- High strength — 105 MPa (15.2 ksi), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 6.9 GPa (1 Msi), better than 90% of polymer grades
- Low, predictable mold shrinkage — 0.3%, better than 90% 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
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 8.5 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 85% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.42 g/cm³ (0.0513 lb/in³), worse than 83% of polymer grades
- Limited ductility — 4%, worse than 78% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 48/100, worse than 75% of polymer grades
Ultem 1000 GF20 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Ultem 1000 GF20; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Ultem 1000 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
Ultem 1000 GF20 has a density of 1.42 g/cm³ (0.0513 lb/in³), heavier than 83% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 217°C (423 °F).
Mechanical17
Ultem 1000 GF20 has a yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 152 MPa (22 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 6.9 GPa (1 Msi).
Thermal11
Ultem 1000 GF20 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 25 µm/m·K (13.9 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
Ultem 1000 GF20 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 GF20 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 GF20's machinability is fair (48/100, worse than 75% of polymer grades); weldability good (60/100); formability fair (50/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Ultem 1000 GF20
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.
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.
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 |
Ultem 1000 GF20 — frequently asked
What is Ultem 1000 GF20 used for?
Ultem 1000 GF20 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 GF20?
Ultem 1000 GF20 has a typical yield strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 152 MPa (22 ksi) — stronger than 97% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is Ultem 1000 GF20 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (48/100, worse than 75% 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 GF20 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 GF20?
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 GF20 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 GF20?
Ultem 1000 GF20 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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.