High temperature.
Highly resistant.
Flame retardant.

PEEK for: implantable medical, extreme temperature (above 260 °C), highest mechanical strength (CF30 filled), premium-cost-justified applications. PPS for: automotive under-hood, electrical connectors, pump and valve components — applications where PEEK's extreme properties aren't needed but high-temperature and chemical resistance are. PPS is approximately 1/5 the cost of PEEK per kg.

PPS is more brittle than PEEK — chips tend to shatter rather than curl. Glass-filled PPS aggressively wears carbide tools (diamond-coated/PCD preferred). PPS has lower Tg (90 °C vs 143 °C for PEEK) so cutting temperatures need careful control — machining parameters similar to nylon rather than high-temperature plastics. Overall, PPS machines acceptably but with extra tool cost vs simpler plastics.

FDA-compliant PPS grades (specific Ryton and Fortron product lines) meet FDA 21 CFR 177.2490 for food contact. Standard industrial PPS is usually not automatically food-safe. Specify food-grade explicitly. Common food applications: oven conveyors, dishwasher components, food processing equipment where temperature resistance matters.

PPS: higher chemical resistance, higher continuous service temperature, cheaper, but brittle and opaque tan/brown. PPSU (polyphenyl sulfone, Radel): transparent amber, higher impact strength, slightly lower temperature capability. For optical or transparent high-temperature applications, PPSU. For structural chemical/thermal, PPS.

Standard glass-filled PPS-GF40 is in stock or 1-week lead time. Unfilled, specialty filled, and medical-grade PPS have 2–3 week material lead times. Machining time similar to glass-filled nylon. Typical complete order: 2–3 weeks for standard, 4–5 weeks for specialty grades.