Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC is partnering with Entegris Inc.’s TEGOTM Polymers unit to develop and market advanced carbon nanotube-enhanced PEEK products suited for a range of emerging applications in the medical, aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas industries. Solvay will supply its KetaSpire® PEEK resin to Entegris who in turn will sell compounds utilizing its novel carbon nanotube technology (CNT). These compounds are targeted for applications requiring weight reduction, enhanced stiffness and flexibility, thermal management, and static charge dissipation.

“We’re excited about this opportunity to support Entegris’ TEGO Polymers and its new range of compounds based on KetaSpire PEEK,” said Greg Jack, senior business development representative for Solvay Advanced Polymers. “This partnership will spur greater use of our materials and open up new end-use applications where consistent electrostatic discharge properties and improved thermal stability are required.”

“We’re proud to be affiliated with a global supplier like Solvay which offers a top tier line of high-performance thermoplastics for a broad range of markets beyond semiconductors,” said Shawn Cheesman, TEGO Polymers’ general manager.

Entegris has developed proprietary technology for the uniform dispersion of carbon nanotubes into PEEK and other thermoplastics to create homogeneous blends. This homogeneity is achieved with unique mixing and characterization methods at multiple scales. Unlike other filler materials such as carbon fiber and carbon powder, carbon nanotubes preserve and maintain the properties of the base polymer. These specialized formulations blend single-walled carbon nanotubes or multi-walled carbon nanotubes with a polymer. The CNT materials provide enhanced strength while preserving flexibility, and uniform electrical and thermal conductivity.

KetaSpire PEEK, one of the industry’s most chemically resistant plastics, is also used by Entegris’ TEGO Polymers unit to create other carbon-nanotube enhanced compounds. Recently, Quantum Polymers, Newark, Del., introduced an extruded rod and plate made of CNT-filled KetaSpire PEEK. These stock shapes can be used to replace metal parts in semiconductor material handling and chemical cleaning systems in applications such as sockets, gaskets, rings, bushings, bearings, seals, and valves.

About Entegris Inc.
Entegris Inc., based in Billerica, Mass., is a leading provider of a wide range of products for purifying, protecting, and transporting critical materials used in processing and manufacturing in the semiconductor and other high-tech industries. Entegris is ISO 9001 certified and has manufacturing, customer service and/or research facilities in the U.S., China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. More information is available at www.entegris.com.

About Solvay Advanced Polymers
Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC produces more plastics with more performance than any other company in the world. This gives design engineers worldwide more ways to solve top design challenges in automotive, medical, electronics, aerospace and other demanding industries. Learn more at www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com.

Solvay is an international industrial Group active in Chemistry. It offers a broad range of products and solutions that contribute to improving quality of life. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and its companies employ about 19,000 people in 50 countries. In 2009, its consolidated sales amounted to €8.45 billion.