ULTEM 9085

ULTEM 9085
Name	ULTEM 9085
Type	Polyetherimide (PEI)
Developer	General Electric
Manufacturer	SABIC
Introduced	2000s
Density	1.27 g/cm³
Melting point	Amorphous (glass transition ~217 °C)
Tensile strength	~110 MPa (varies with process)
Applications	Aerospace, NASA, Boeing, Airbus, automotive, mass transit

ULTEM 9085 is a high-performance amorphous polyetherimide thermoplastic developed for demanding aerospace and transportation applications. It balances flame, smoke, and toxicity performance with high strength and thermal stability, which has led to adoption by organizations such as NASA, Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and SpaceX. The material is produced and commercialized by SABIC following initial development at General Electric and is widely used in additive manufacturing and conventional fabrication across industries including United Technologies Corporation partners and transit agencies like Transport for London.

Overview and Composition

ULTEM 9085 is a specific formulation of polyetherimide (PEI) engineered for flame, smoke, and toxicity properties required by aerospace certification bodies such as Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Its chemistry derives from imide and ether linkages typical of polymers studied by researchers at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, and it is related to high-performance polymers used by companies like DuPont and BASF. The polymer contains aromatic backbone structures contributing to high glass transition temperatures, and additives introduced by SABIC tailor flame retardancy and processability similarly to approaches used by Rohm and Haas and AkzoNobel in polymer formulations.

Physical and Mechanical Properties

Physical properties include a high glass transition temperature (~217 °C), a density around 1.27 g/cm³, and good dimensional stability comparable to other engineering polymers used by General Motors and Toyota. Mechanical performance such as tensile strength, flexural modulus, and impact resistance depend on grade and processing, with published values used by Boeing and Airbus suppliers for structural interior components. Thermal aging and creep behavior have been evaluated in studies conducted by NASA centers and university laboratories affiliated with Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Michigan, informing design allowable approaches used by aerospace OEMs like Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney.

Manufacturing and 3D Printing Behavior

ULTEM 9085 is supplied in pellet and filament forms for extrusion, injection molding, thermoforming, and fused filament fabrication (FFF)/Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers used by industrial users such as Stratasys partners and service bureaus working with 3D Systems and makers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Processing requires high-temperature equipment similar to that used for polyether ether ketone by manufacturers like Victrex, with controlled build chamber temperatures and heated beds akin to setups in labs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Warpage, interlayer adhesion, and porosity are addressed through printer enclosures, elevated nozzle temperatures, and annealing protocols used by aerospace additive teams at Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Applications and Industry Use

Primary uses are in aircraft interiors, ducting, brackets, and components requiring compliance with FAR 25.853 and similar standards enforced by Federal Aviation Administration and regulators affiliated with International Civil Aviation Organization. Major adopters include interior suppliers to Boeing and Airbus, spaceflight programs at NASA and commercial launch providers such as SpaceX, and mass transit manufacturers like Siemens and Alstom. The material is also used in rapid prototyping and functional end-use parts for defense contractors including BAE Systems and Thales where fire performance and mechanical integrity are necessary.

Regulatory, Safety, and Fire Performance

ULTEM 9085 meets many flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST) standards cited by Federal Aviation Administration regulations and testing protocols used by European Aviation Safety Agency laboratories and independent test houses contracted by SABIC and OEM suppliers. Fire behavior testing comparable to standards applied by Underwriters Laboratories and maritime rules from organizations like International Maritime Organization informs acceptance in transportation sectors overseen by Department of Transportation (United States). Safety data sheets and occupational exposure guidance reference agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for handling high-temperature processing and potential emissions during thermal decomposition.

Recycling, Sustainability, and Life Cycle

As a high-performance thermoplastic, recycling streams are limited compared with commodity polymers handled by recyclers like Waste Management, Inc. and circular-economy initiatives promoted by Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Mechanical recycling of scrap and regrind is practiced by industrial fabricators supplying Boeing and Airbus to reduce waste, while chemical recycling pathways are under investigation at research centers such as Argonne National Laboratory and universities including University of California, Berkeley. Life-cycle assessments used by suppliers to General Electric and fleet operators assess embodied energy and end-of-life scenarios in comparison to metals sourced from producers like ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel.

Comparative Materials and Alternatives

Competitors and alternatives include polyether ether ketone grades by Victrex, high-performance polyamides supplied by DuPont, flame-retardant polycarbonate alloys marketed by Covestro, and thermoset composites developed by Hexcel and Toray Industries. Material selection by aerospace and transport engineers at firms such as Boeing, Airbus, and Bombardier weighs FST performance, cost, processing infrastructure, and certification pathways analogous to trade-offs made when choosing aluminum alloys from Alcoa or titanium from VSMPO-AVISMA.

Category:Plastics