PEI is an exceptionally resilient filament, a material frequently used in advanced industries across the world, from automotive to aerospace. We’re now expanding our Prusament portfolio with this material and you can get the Prusament PEI 1010 in our e-shop right now. It can withstand extreme heat, mechanical stress, the effects of different chemicals, and even gamma radiation. It requires a nozzle temperature of 420 °C and a heated chamber temperature of at least 90 °C. It’s a perfect fit for our recently launched Prusa Pro HT90!

It’s worth mentioning that “PEI” is the name for an entire group of polymers with slightly different properties. So, while we also use PEI as coating for our print sheets (due to its adhesion to other polymers), the Prusament PEI 1010 is not entirely the same material.

Durable, tough, and resistant

We’ve designed the Prusament PEI 1010 as the go-to material for high-end industrial use. So let’s take a closer look at what makes it so good.

Polyetherimide (PEI), branded as Ultem, is a material with characteristics similar to PEEK – another high-performance engineering thermoplastic with outstanding thermal and chemical resistance as well as excellent mechanical strength. Therefore PEI is also an exceptionally resistant material and the printed parts have tensile strength similar to aluminum components. This means you can even directly replace certain metal parts in selected aviation and space applications. There are not many thermoplastic materials with such high resistance that can be printed with FFF 3D printers.

PEI has a vastly superior chemical and thermal resistance compared to existing Prusament materials and other common materials on the market. It withstands temperatures of around 200 °C and is resistant to most chemicals: alcohols, acids, bases, and other solvents. It can be dissolved only in uncommon chemicals, such as partially halogenated solvents and degraded by some chlorinated solvents, aromatic hydrocarbons, and acetates (source: Omnexus).

And there are other important factors to consider. PEI (in general) is a flame-resistant material, with a UL94 flame resistance rating of VTM-0. However, unlike the Prusament PETG-V0, the Prusament PEI 1010 doesn’t have the UL certification yet, so we cannot officially guarantee these properties. Furthermore, PEI is resistant to radioactivity. It does not have radioactive shielding properties like our Prusament PETG Tungsten 75% but the material doesn’t change its physical properties when exposed to the gamma radiation.

From automotive to aerospace

Prusament PEI 1010 is best used for applications where exceptional durability is needed. As we already stated, thanks to its tensile strength and thermal resistance, it can be used to replace specific, functional aluminum parts in actual machines, vehicles, and devices. The material is lightweight and resistant to radioactivity at high altitudes – this makes it perfect for various aerospace applications.

PEI can be also extensively used in the automotive industry. This brings us to the IMDS, the International Material Data system. Car manufacturers worldwide (incl. OEM suppliers) are required to report the complete material composition of the car. To do so, they use the IMDS (International Material Data System). This database helps to control and reduce the amount of dangerous chemicals inside the car components. Prusament PEI 1010 Natural, as well as many other Prusament materials, was added and approved to the IMDS, which makes it perfect for use in the automotive industry.

Use in science and medicine

Last but not least, the PEI 1010 can withstand a broad range of chemicals and can go through a sterilization process in an autoclave, electron beam, ethylene oxide, and gamma radiation. The combination of these properties makes it suitable for scientific and medical applications.

Basic attributes

• Heat Deflection Temperature: 194.2. °C (1.8 MPa) / 206.5 °C (0.45 MPa)
• Charpy impact resistance: 19.7 kJ/m²
• Tensile yield strength: 95 MPa

Necessary equipment and printing instructions

It is important to know that the Prusament PEI 1010 is not a “plug and print” material. This polymer is not even suitable for the regular Original Prusa printers as it requires very high temperatures (420 °C for the hot end, 150 °C for heatbed, and at least 90 °C for the chamber). It is necessary to print it with Prusa Pro HT90, or a similar 3D printer. The absolutely key prerequisite is to keep the filament perfectly dry (a professional dry box and dryer are necessary). However, the complete step-by-step guide is beyond the scope of this article. If you’re interested in knowing more about the printing process of Prusament PEI 1010, you may read about it in our dedicated online help article.

For the purpose of drying, we had to make more high-temperature resistant spools that would survive the heat. And we found a very elegant solution: Prusament PA11CF waste from our extrusion line. Using this material significantly improved the spool’s temperature resistance and further decreased the waste produced during the Prusament manufacturing process. We also had to add screws that hold the spool in one piece during the drying. This added a few grams to the empty spool’s weight, which is now 203 g.

Prusament PEI 1010 is now available!

So far, the Prusament PEI 1010 comes only in its natural color, which is transparent amber. One 500 g spool costs 139 USD / 149 EUR (VAT incl.).

It’s a truly high-end addition to our Prusament lineup. With the right printer, you can create incredibly durable objects, however, a heated chamber is a must. While the Prusa Pro HT90 can easily tackle small-to-medium-sized PEI objects, note that for larger prints, the higher the chamber temperature (up to 190 °C), the better the results. If you have any questions concerning parameters, possibilities, usage, 3D printer compatibility, etc., don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be happy to help you.

Happy printing!