Materials

KPM Advanced Polymers is at the forefront of compressor material design. We utilise proven engineering thermoplastics with excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties that are retained to high temperatures. Careful selection of fillers is used to enhance the required properties, be that strength, temperature or wear resistance.

Material Design

At its simplest, we design our materials to:

Have ample strength to withstand gas forces during compression.
Provide sacrificial wear for moving parts, so that oil lubrication is not required.

Depending on the requirement, the first step is to select a base resin and then add fillers to enhance the resin properties. Resins and fillers are carefully selected based on their properties and include:

After moulding, extensive testing is undertaken to confirm that the material will perform as expected. Wear and tensile testing, micrography and measurement of other properties is performed in-house.

Material Grouping

At KPM Advanced Polymers, our Material Grouping approach is designed to provide comprehensive, high-performance solutions tailored to the extreme demands of the reciprocating compressor industry. Our extensive portfolio is anchored by premium PTFE and PEEK filled grades, expertly manufactured through both Hot and Cold Compression Moulding (HCM and CCM) processes.

To ensure we can meet diverse engineering requirements, our capabilities extend to specialised Epoxy Resin filled materials and precision White Metal tube casting. Whether your application calls for versatile standard formats, such as PEEK extruded bar or PEEK and PTFE in sheet form, or demands a completely bespoke solution through our Proprietary Compounding Service, KPM delivers the exact material specifications necessary to optimise your equipment’s reliability and lifespan.

Our Material Capabilities Include:

Compression Moulding: PTFE and PEEK Filled Grades in HCM or CCM
Stock Shapes: PEEK Extruded Bar and PEEK & PTFE in Sheet Form
Specialty Materials: Epoxy Resin Filled Materials & White Metal Tube Casting
Custom Solutions: Proprietary Compounding Service tailored to your exact specifications

9117 Accelerated Wear test on Lapped Plate

Material Selection

We have a wealth of experience in assisting clients to select to most suitable material for their compressor application. Usually, we will ask for the following information to make the best selection:

The dryness of the gas being compressed
The humidity
The abrasiveness or reactivity of the gas
Impurities or catalysts that may be present
The relative surface speed of mating
components
The design bearing load
The condition of the counter faces
Any lubrication considerations.

New Materials

In addition to our wide range of existing materials, we continue to develop new materials that specifically target Hydrogen and LNG economies, as well as the increased use of Natural gas in many countries.

KPM	Type	Typical Gas Application	Description
KP201	HCM	Hydrogen, PE, PP	Highest temperature thermoplastic available. Provides the best resistance to temperature and pressure.
KP205	HCM	PE, PP, CO2	Premium non-lube solver.
KP135	HCM	LNG, Hydrogen	Used in difficult bone-dry gas environments or where there is low temperature.
KP104	CCM	Petrochemical	Provides all round performance in a wide variety of application.
KP107	CCM	Hydrogen, Petrochemical	Good non-lube material, but also copes well at higher temperatures and with dry gases.
KP105	CCM	Oxygen, Nitrogen	This material provided excellent wear resistance in difficult wet, oxidizing gases.