Delrin® 100AF Blend is a specialized thermoplastic material engineered for demanding applications where low friction, reduced wear, and extended component life are critical. It belongs to the acetal homopolymer family (polyoxymethylene or POM), produced by DuPont under the Delrin® brand, and is commonly used in moving parts such as bearings, gears, rollers, and bushings.
Key Composition and Formulation
- Base Material: A 2:1 blend of Delrin® AF 100 (20% PTFE-filled) and Delrin® 150 (unfilled) resins.
- Filler Content: Uniformly dispersed PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fibers at approximately 13% by weight, which enhances lubricity without compromising core structural properties.
- Color: Naturally dark brown.
- Forms Available: Extruded rods, sheets, and plates for machining into custom components.
Properties and Performance
- Friction and Wear: Exhibits an exceptionally low coefficient of friction (both static and dynamic), minimizing slip-stick behavior. This allows bearings to operate at higher speeds and loads with significantly reduced wear compared to standard Delrin®.
- Strength Retention: Maintains about 90% of the tensile strength, stiffness, and toughness of unmodified Delrin®, while offering better sliding properties.
- Dimensional Stability: Low moisture absorption, resistance to solvents (including gasoline), lubricants, and chemicals, making it suitable for self-threading screws or interference-fit parts.
- Machinability: Excellent, enabling precise fabrication of complex geometries.
- Trade-offs: Slight reductions in impact strength and wear resistance relative to unfilled Delrin® due to the softer PTFE addition, but overall superior for lubricity-focused uses.
Applications
Ideal for non-lubricated or low-maintenance environments in industries like automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, and consumer products. Examples include high-speed bearings, conveyor components, and valve seats.
Delrin® 100AF 20% PTFE vs Delrin 100AF Blend 13% PTFE
Delrin® 100AF and Delrin® 100AF Blend are both PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)-filled acetal homopolymers from DuPont (now DELRIN USA LLC), designed for low-friction, wear-resistant applications like bearings, bushings, and sliding components. They enhance the base Delrin® acetal's properties with PTFE for reduced friction and improved lubricity. The key differences lie in their composition, PTFE content, processing methods, and resulting mechanical trade-offs.
Key Differences
| Property | Delrin® 100AF | Delrin® 100AF Blend |
|---|---|---|
| PTFE Content | 20% uniformly dispersed PTFE fibers | 13% PTFE fibers (typically a 2:1 blend of Delrin® 100AF and unfilled Delrin® 150) |
| Processing | Injection molding and Extrusion | Primarily for stock shapes via extrusion |
| Color | Dark Brown, Opaque off-white or natural acetal color | Dark brown |
| Strength & Toughness | Higher tensile strength and impact resistance due to full PTFE loading | Retains ~90% of unmodified Delrin® strength; slightly lower impact and wear capability from reduced PTFE |
| Friction & Wear | Lowest coefficient of friction; excellent for high-speed, low-lubricant needs | Very low friction with minimal "stick-slip"; better wear than unfilled Delrin® |
| Cost & Availability | More expensive; available but often custom-order for full-strength 20% fill | More cost-effective and widely available for stock shapes |
| Applications | Extruded shapes, Precision molded parts requiring maximum lubricity (e.g., high-load bearings) | General-purpose extruded parts (e.g., bushings, gears) where balanced properties are needed |
