To protect the the 26-m long, 4-m wide yacht's hull and parts under the deck from friction and pressures due to high sailing speeds, the boat's maker covered them with a high-performance thermoplastic film. The APTIV film, made with Victrex PEEK polymer, withstands temperatures to 300°C (572°F) that can be created due to frictional forces as the yacht races through the water.
The semi-crystalline PEEK polymer from Victrex USA Inc. has a glass transition temperature of 143°C (289°F), high abrasion and creep resistance at elevated temperatures, resists hydrolysis and chemicals, and sees no property change when in constant contact with water. APTIV films can be produced with an amorphic-transparent or partially crystalline-opaque structure and can be filled with inorganic fillers to produce grades with low thermal expansion rates. The film processes easily and can be thermoformed, laminated without the use of adhesives or heat sealed.
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Victrex APTIV films