POLYAMIDEIMIDE (PAI)

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PROPERTIES
Polyamideimides (PAIs) are high performance amorphous engineering thermoplastics of yellow
to brown color. They have outstanding thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties and are
often the best choice for demanding applications where very high mechanical strength, stiffness
and low friction in combination with high temperature, corrosion, and wear resistance is
required.1Compared to typical polyimides, PAIs have a lower continuous service temperature but
a higher fracture toughness. For example, some grades maintain their strength and stiffness up to
500°F (260°C) whereas some poly(ether)imides can be operated up to 700°F (370°C). Like PIs,
PAIs resist most chemicals and can be operated in harsh thermal and chemical environments
even under severe stress with little to no creep, wear, and chemical degradation. They are
virtually unaffected by aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons as well as chlorinated and
fluorinated solvents. Some grades also resist concentrated acids (30%) including hydrochloric,
phosphoric, and sulfuric acid but are attacked by hydrofluoric acid and strong bases such as
sodium hydroxide.2 In many cases, they can replace metals and other high performance materials
in structural applications.3
Other important performance properties include:
 High tensile and flexural strength over a wide temperature range up to + 225°C (450°F)
 Excellent resistance to wear and creep under load (bearing grades)
 Extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion
 Excellent heat resistance in air (250°C)
 High glass transition temperature of about 275°C2
 Excellent dimensional stability up to 250°C
 Difficult to burn with very little smoke
 Outstanding resistance to degradation by UV radiation
 Good chemical resistance to many acids, alcohols, automotive fuels and oils, and
halogenated solvents
 Good electrical properties (not as good as fluorocarbons)
 Good processability (can be extruded, thermoformed, injection and compression molded)
However, polyamideimides have also some limitations and shortcomings. For example, they are
rather expensive and often require a post-cure to achieve their full potential especially maximum
wear and chemical resistance. They also cannot be used above their glass transition temperature
unless cross-linked.
APPLICATIONS
Polyamidemides are often an excellent choice for demanding applications where high
mechanical strength, and low creep, fatigue and wear combined with outstanding chemical
properties are required. Typical applications include molded or machined parts for the
automotive and aerospace industry such as non-lubricating bearings, seals, bushings, pistons,
gears, and thrust washers.
PEI is also widely used in magnet wire enamels for heavy duty motors and in high-performance,
non-stick, and corrosion resistant coatings for various other demanding industrial uses.
Because of their high price, polyamideimides are usually only used when outstanding properties
are required.
The typical maximum service temperature in air is about 260°C.