EFEP is a terpolymer, meaning it is composed of three parts (similar to tertiary, meaning “third”). Made from ethylene, tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP), EFEP was initially conceived based on ETFE and was created to take advantage of the superior mechanical properties of ETFE but have a lower processing temperature. This lower processing temperature allows EFEP to be co-extruded with other, more conventional polyamides and polyethylene polymer derivatives to create more specialized products.
Of particular interest for EFEP is that, despite its chemical resistance, it adheres well to many other plastics without the use of adhesives, etching, or tie layers; this means that EFEP is an excellent choice for multilayered tubing. EFEP also adheres to glass and metals and has more transparency than most fluoropolymers. Thus, EFEP does not sacrifice clarity, which would normally be the case with chemical etching.
EFEP has excellent resistance to heat aging and weathering. This high-purity material also has exceptional adhesion strength, low permeation, and stands up well to impacts at low temperatures. You will find EFEP in diverse applications ranging from fuel lines, catheter construction, analytical solutions, to dip tubes for perfume bottles.
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Note: The information in the Zeus website, catalog, and other sources presents and discusses generally accepted properties for non-pigmented virgin polymer resins from which Zeus fabricates its line of extruded products. Actual properties may change due to processing method, resin grade, extruded dimensions, and other variables. It is the end user’s responsibility to fully evaluate and test the fitness of the product for their specific application.
Anti-Static Tubing – EFEP’s extremely low dissipation factor makes this material an excellent choice for fuel lines to minimize the risk of flame due to static discharge. EFEP’s chemical resistance makes it a good choice for petroleum-based hydrocarbons.
Catheter Construction – Because of EFEP’s ability to bond to other polymers without additional treatments such as chemical etching, EFEP can be co-extruded with other polymers to create, for example, an inner tubing of EFEP with an outer softer layer of PEBA. This type of co-extrusion is used in catheter construction to form a securely bonded multilayer tubing without the usual risk of delamination.
Fluid Management – EFEP’s chemical resistance and endurance against weathering and heat aging are particularly beneficial in a variety of fluid handling applications. Aside from its use for fuel hoses, EFEP can withstand many corrosives and solvents and has extremely low water absorption.
Multilayer Tubing – EFEP’s bondability to other polymers makes it especially amenable to creating multilayer tubing. This kind of tubing is desirable when different characteristics are important for the inner and outer diameter of the tube, such as hardness for the outside diameter (OD) and chemical resistance for the inside diameter (ID).
Transparency / Visibility – Depending on resin grade, EFEP can be provided in forms that are particularly optically clear to enable visualization of fluid contents. This tubing’s clarity also allows it to be used for applications that seek to hide or disguise the presence of the tubing, such as in spray pumps for perfume bottles.
Co-extrusion – EFEP’s ability to bond to other plastics means that it is especially adaptable to being co-extruded with other polymers to create a highly tailored tubing product. This ability of EFEP allows for different properties of the co-extrusion, such as high chemical resistance on the ID and heat resistance on the OD.
Convoluted Tubing – This tubing contains multiple convolutes in series, resulting in a highly flexible tubing material. Also known as flexible conduit, convoluted tubing is used as a protective covering for wire harness applications where flexibility and performance are paramount.
Extruded Tubing – EFEP’s specialized qualities give it many unique applications, particularly for areas that take advantage of its bondability to other plastics, metals, and glass. Whether simple extrusion or co-extrusion, EFEP shows excellent heat aging, weather resistance, chemical resistance, and high clarity. This tubing also has a very low dissipation factor, resistance to cold impacts, and is flame-resistant.
Bondability – EFEP easily bonds with other plastics such as polyamides, nylons, other polyethylene derivatives, glass, and metals without additional modification such as chemical etching, application of adhesives, or tie layers. EFEP shows excellent adhesion strength to minimize the risk of delamination.
Chemical Resistance – This material exhibits excellent resistance across a broad spectrum of chemicals, ranging from acids, bases, esters, amides, and hydrocarbons.
Cold Impact Resistance – Supporting its excellent resistance to weathering, EFEP’s impact resistance is particularly beneficial at low temperatures.
Excellent Weathering – EFEP performs well outdoors and exhibits excellent durability.
High Purity – EFEP is produced in a high-purity state, minimizing the possibility of fluid and environmental contamination.
Improved Heat Aging Resistance – Despite EFEP’s moderate maximum surface temperature of 302 °F (150 °C), this material exhibits excellent heat aging for an extended service life in hot environments.
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