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Ryton · PPS · Polyphenylene Sulfide

Chemical resistant.
220 °C service.
Inherently flame retardant.

Ryton PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) combines excellent chemical resistance, high-temperature service, and inherent flame retardancy (UL 94 V-0 without additives). Standard for automotive under-hood, pump components, electrical connectors, chemical processing where cost matters but performance is critical.

01 · Grades & variants

PPS grades.

PPS is typically filled for improved mechanical properties. Glass-filled is standard, with specialty filled versions for specific applications.

PPS R-4

40% glass · standard

Ryton R-4 from Solvay. 40% glass-filled. Standard grade — excellent mechanical properties. Used for structural and chemical applications.

PPS R-7

65% fillers · premium

65% glass + mineral fillers. Highest stiffness and lowest creep. Used for demanding mechanical applications.

PPS Natural

Unfilled · machinable

Unfilled PPS. Easier machining, lower mechanical properties. Used for electrical insulators, chemical fittings.

PPS Conductive

ESD · RF

Carbon-filled for ESD-dissipative applications. Electronics handling, RF components.

PPS High-Purity

Semiconductor

Ultra-pure grade for semiconductor process equipment. Minimal ionic contamination.

PPS Low-Warp

Dimensional stability

Filler blend optimized for minimal dimensional change during processing. For precision applications.

02 · Why this material

Why PPS for automotive.

PPS has become the standard high-temperature plastic for under-hood automotive — beating nylon, PBT, and even PEI on balance of properties and cost.

220 °C continuous service

Handles under-hood temperatures including near-engine locations. Maintains properties indefinitely at elevated temperature.

Chemical resistance

Excellent resistance to automotive fluids — gasoline, diesel, coolant, oils, brake fluid, DEF. No swell, no degradation.

Inherently flame retardant

UL 94 V-0 without flame retardant additives. Better than FR-modified nylons — no additive migration over time.

Dimensional stability

Very low water absorption, low CTE, low creep. Parts maintain tolerances over life in humid/hot environments.

03 · Applications

PPS applications.

Automotive under-hood

Coolant pumps, thermostat housings, EGR components, turbo system parts

Fuel system components

Fuel pump housings, fuel rails, injector components

Electric motor components

EV motor stator components, insulators, connectors

Electrical connectors

High-temperature connectors requiring UL 94 V-0 rating

Pump housings

Chemical pump housings, industrial pump components

Semiconductor handling

Ultra-pure PPS for wafer handling, process equipment

Chemical processing

Chemical valve bodies, flow meters, processing equipment

LED headlight components

Structural components in LED headlights — temperature resistance

Industrial sensors

Sensor housings in high-temperature industrial environments

04 · Finishing

PPS finishing.

Injection molded

Primary process. PPS flows well, cycles fast. Standard for high-volume automotive.

Machined

PPS machinable with carbide tooling. Glass-filled grades wear tools faster — use PCD for production.

As-molded

Tan/beige color standard. Custom colors available.

Painted

Accepts paint with primer for adhesion.

Laser marked

Standard for identification.

Bonded

Can be ultrasonic welded to itself. Adhesive bonding requires surface preparation.

Threaded inserts

Heat-set or ultrasonic-installed brass inserts for threaded features.

Annealed

Post-processing annealing at 200 °C improves dimensional stability and reduces molded-in stress.

FAQ

Ryton (PPS) questions.

PPS: $15-25/kg for glass-filled, 220 °C service, very good chemistry. PEEK: $120-180/kg unfilled, 260 °C service, better chemistry, better mechanics, biocompatible grades. PEEK is 5-10× more expensive. For temperatures 180-220 °C, aggressive automotive chemistry, cost-sensitive production: PPS. For biomedical, continuous 220-260 °C, or max performance: PEEK.
Glass fiber content (typically 40%) is abrasive — tool life is 10-20% of unfilled PPS or nylon. Use polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tooling for production. Alternative: carbide tools with reduced feed rates. Dust contains glass fibers — use proper ventilation and PPE. Standard surface finish Ra 1.6-3.2 µm. For smoother surfaces, secondary polishing required.
PPS's molecular structure is inherently flame retardant — no additives needed. Aromatic sulfur-containing rings form a protective carbonaceous char when exposed to flame. Self-extinguishing. UL 94 V-0 rating achievable without red phosphorus, halogenated, or other FR additives. Advantage: no additive migration or leaching over time — consistent FR performance for decades.
PPS resists: most acids (sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric dilute), bases, alcohols, aromatics, chlorinated solvents, automotive fluids, most petroleum products. Attacked by: concentrated oxidizing acids (conc. nitric, fuming sulfuric, chromic acid), molten alkalis. For most chemical service, PPS is excellent. For very aggressive oxidizers, PEEK or PTFE better.
PPS is the growing automotive plastic for EVs. Applications: electric motor stator end-winding covers, battery pack components, power electronics housings, cooling system components. EV systems have higher operating temperatures than conventional automotive, and PPS handles them. Also: EMI shielding requirements met with conductive PPS grades.
PPS is the "sweet spot" high-temperature plastic. More expensive than commodity (nylon, PBT), much cheaper than premium (PEEK, PAI). For applications where nylon temperature limits are exceeded but full PEEK isn't needed, PPS is the right answer. Production economics at automotive volumes drive PPS adoption — injection molded PPS parts at $2-10 per part achievable.
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