PEEK 150CA30: 30% Carbon Fiber Filled — Wear & High-Load Applications
Published: 2026-06-02
PEEK 150CA30 is the wear-resistant workhorse of the Victrex PEEK portfolio — 30% carbon fiber reinforcement increases compressive strength by 2× and reduces thermal expansion coefficient by 3× compared to unfilled PEEK 450G. Carbon fiber provides...
PEEK 150CA30 is the wear-resistant workhorse of the Victrex PEEK portfolio — 30% carbon fiber reinforcement increases compressive strength by 2× and reduces thermal expansion coefficient by 3× compared to unfilled PEEK 450G. Carbon fiber provides 3× the stiffness of unfilled PEEK (flexural modulus 20 GPa vs 4.1 GPa) and dramatically improves wear resistance: PV limit (pressure × velocity) increases from 0.8 MPa·m/s (unfilled) to 3.5 MPa·m/s. These properties make 150CA30 the preferred grade for high-load bearings, thrust washers, and seal rings in aerospace and oil & gas applications.
Processing note: 150CA30 is more abrasive to tooling than glass-filled grades — specify hardened tool steel (DIN 1.2344 ESR or better) with nitride surface treatment for production tooling. Melt temperature 370-390°C, mold temperature 180-200°C for optimal crystallinity. Carbon fiber's electrical conductivity (volume resistivity ~10³ Ω·cm) means 150CA30 is unsuitable for electrical insulators — use unfilled 450G or glass-filled 150GL30 for those applications. Carbon fiber-filled PEEK is also radio-opaque on X-ray — an advantage for medical device traceability.
Technical Properties
| Density | 1.44 g/cm³ |
|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | 230 MPa |
| Melting Point | 343 °C |
| Shrinkage Rate | 0.1-0.4% |
| Flexural Modulus | 20 GPa |
| Hdt | 315 °C at 1.82 MPa |
Engineering Tool: Shrinkage & Cost Estimator
Calculate part weight, mold cavity dimensions accounting for shrinkage, and material cost — all locally in your browser.
Equivalents & Cross-References
| Equivalent / Alternate | Action |
|---|---|
| Victrex 150CA30 | |
| Ketron PEEK CA30 | |
| Vestakeep CA30 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use PEEK 150CA30 vs 450G?
150CA30 provides 3× stiffness and 4× wear resistance compared to 450G. Choose 150CA30 for: bearing surfaces, thrust washers, seal rings, and any application where the part is loaded against a moving counterpart. Choose 450G for: electrical insulators, medical implants, and applications requiring translucency or FDA compliance without carbon fiber content.
Does carbon fiber-filled PEEK warp more than unfilled?
No — carbon fiber reduces mold shrinkage from 1.2% (unfilled) to 0.1-0.4% and lowers thermal expansion by 3×. The fiber alignment during filling introduces anisotropic properties: shrinkage and CTE are lower in the flow direction than transverse. Proper gate placement accounts for this anisotropy.
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References & Industry Standards
- ASTM International. Standard Specifications for Engineering Plastics & Thermoplastics. astm.org
- UL Prospector. Plastics & Elastomers Material Database. ulprospector.com
- MatWeb. Material Property Data for Engineering Thermoplastics. matweb.com
- ISO 1043. Plastics — Symbols and Abbreviated Terms. iso.org