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Vespel / Polyimide

  Technical Specifications

The extraordinary properties of Vespel®, a DuPont product made of high-performance SP polyimide resin, make it the optimal choice for tough applications such as parts used in automobiles, heavy-duty off-road equipment, jet engines and semiconductors. Vespel® is not brittle, even at -400° F. It also performs continuously at temperatures up to 600° F and intermittently up to 1,000° F. Vespel® can operate at extremely high PVs. Special metalworking equipment and techniques are not needed to machine this product. Typical Vespel® parts include bearings, bushings, insulators, gaskets and thrust washers.

  Grades and Colors

  • Vespel® SP-21
    For Vespel® SP-21, 15% graphite by weight is added to the base resin for increased wear resistance and reduced friction in applications such as bearings, thrust washes, bushings, seal rings, slide blocks and other wear surfaces. Vespel® SP-21 has the highest mechanical properties of the graphite-filled grades.
  • Vespel® SP-22
    For Vespel® SP-22, 40% graphite by weight is added to the base resin for enhanced resistance to wear and friction and good dimensional and oxidative stability. Vespel® SP-22 has the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion of the graphite-filled grades. Typical applications are the same as those for Vespel® SP-21.
  • Vespel® SP-211
    For Vespel® SP-211, 10% Teflon® (PTFE) and 15% graphite by weight are added to the base resin for the lowest coefficient of friction over a wide range of operating conditions. Vespel® SP-211 also has excellent wear resistance up to 300° F. Typical applications include sliding or linear bearings as well as many of the wear and friction applications for which the other Vespel® grades are suitable.
  • Vespel® SP-3
    For Vespel® SP-3, 15% molybdenum disulfide by weight is added to the base resin for wear and friction resistance in vacuum and other moisture-free environments where graphite actually becomes abrasive. Typical applications include seals, bushings, bearings, gears and other wear surfaces in outer space and in ultra-high vacuum or dry-gas environments.
Vespel® is a registered trademark of E.I. Dupont

  Key Properties:

  • Continuous performance at up to 600° F
  • No special machining equipment required
  • Dimensionally stable
  • Operates at very high PVs
  • Does no become brittle even at subzero temperatures

  Standard Shapes and Forms:

  • The range of sizes and shapes are grade specific, please contact us for more information. 

  Download Technical Specifications (PDF)