AGRU material pyramid

Materials for every requirement

AGRU specialises in semi-crystalline thermoplastics. The particular application determines which material offers the best possible economic efficiency and operational reliability. AGRU's plastics experts will help you select the best plastic for your application. The standard materials PE and PP are ideal for transporting water, compressed air, natural gas or chemicals. It is essential to use high-performance plastics such as PVDF and ECTFE for applications with aggressive media. However, only ultra-high-performance materials such as PFA and FEP offer the highest media and temperature resistance, so that almost any problem relating to corrosion can be solved.

PE

Resistance to slow crack growth

AGRU plastic products made of PE100 RC are characterised by their resistance to slow crack growth, great toughness and very good chemical resistance. PE is usually used between -40 °C and +60 °C. Other characteristics include good wear resistance, excellent electrical insulation and high vibration damping. Adding special carbon black types (approx. 2%) ensures light and weather resistance.  In addition to industrial applications, polyethylene is used in particular for water supply. Whether drinking, cooling, hot, industrial or waste water. PE offers the ideal solution and has proven itself over many years. PE geomembranes also protect our groundwater from contamination in landfill sites.

PP

Greater rigidity and temperature resistance

Polypropylene (PP) is a partly crystalline thermoplastic similar to PE-HD, but with higher stiffness, strength and hardness levels. It is also characterised by very good chemical resistance. Polypropylene can be used up to a maximum temperature of 95 °C. However, below freezing point, PP is sensitive to impact (the use of plastic materials like this at temperatures below -5 °C should be avoided). PP is often used, for example, in pickling plants, the chemical industry and for highly aggressive wastewater, because chemicals at high temperatures are used in these areas. AGRU's product range includes various PP polymer types: PP homopolymer (PP-H), PP random copolymer (PP-R), PP copolymer (PP-C), flame-retardant polypropylene (PP-s) and flame-retardant, electrically conductive polypropylene (PP-s-el ESD).

PVDF

Ideally suited for chemicals and high purity applications

AGRU PVDF is a highly crystalline non-reinforced plastic that combines good mechanical, thermal and electrical properties with excellent chemical resistance. PVDF can be processed without additives, resulting in excellent leaching behaviour. This makes this plastic the ideal material for high-end applications in the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, life sciences and photovoltaic industries. PVDF UHP products are manufactured under strictly controlled purity conditions using carefully selected raw materials. Fields of application for these products include pipeline systems, storage and transport tanks and apparatuses requiring high media purity and leaching behaviour standards. Electrically conductive PVDF-el ESD is used specifically in the electrical industry and explosion protection areas. PVDF Flex is characterised by its additional flexibility, especially for bonded systems on steel.

ECTFE

Excellent chemical resistance to acids, lyes and solvents

ECTFE has a unique combination of properties that are a result of its chemical structure – a copolymer with ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene arranged alternately. ECTFE demonstrates excellent resistance to the corrosive influence of heat, strong radiation and weathering. Compared to PVDF, ECTFE is characterised by even better resistance to chemicals, especially in alkaline solutions and at higher temperatures. ECTFE is highly impact-resistant and exhibits virtually no property changes over a wide temperature range, making it particularly well-suited for demanding industrial applications. The excellent welding properties and thermoplastic formability also enable simple and cost-saving processing, both in the workshop and on-site.

FEP

Highest corrosion resistance

FEP, which belongs to the fully fluorinated plastics group, offers outstanding corrosion resistance. FEP performs reliably over the enormous range of temperatures between -190 °C and +205 °C, and can therefore be used in numerous industrial applications. Flexibility, thermoformability and optimum welding properties mean that AGRU FEP products can be manufactured reliably at low costs. Like PFA, FEP is resistant to almost all chemicals. The plastic is also extremely weather and radiation resistant. 

PFA

The king of plastics

PFA is the highest grade plastic that AGRU has in its portfolio. It combines the outstanding chemical resistance of Teflon® (PTFE)with the excellent processability of standard plastics. Resistance to almost any medium and the widest thermal operating range between -190 °C and +260 °C enable an extremely wide range of applications. This means that a solution can also be offered for extreme chemicals at high temperatures. Many PFA products are also available in High Purity (HP) quality. The high purity quality enables applications in the semiconductor, pharmaceutical and food industries.

PE 100-el, PP-s-el und PVDF-el

Automatic equipment increases safety in hazardous environments

When filling, emptying, stirring, mixing, or spraying flammable media, the electrostatic charging of the pipeline and containers must be prevented. If the pipeline passes through an explosive atmosphere, it can be ignited by a single spark discharge, causing an explosion. Electrostatic Discharge Sensitive (ESD) plastics from AGRU provide additional safety by controlling and permanently dissipating electrostatic charges. They are used in chemical plants (e.g. ATEX) in areas where spark formation due to electrostatic charging must be prevented due to explosion protection requirements.