All You Need to Know About PEKK for 3D Printing

Polyetherketoneketone, better known by its acronym PEKK, is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic that is increasingly used in the additive manufacturing market. Often compared to PEEK, it belongs to the same family – the PAEK family – known for its mechanical and chemical properties. Easier to print than PEEK, in particular thanks to its lower crystallisation rate, PEKK is mainly found in the form of filament, but can also be found in powder form for a very limited number of SLS 3D printers.

PEKK was first developed and marketed in 1988 by the company Dupont for the aerospace sector. Then, in the early 2000s, its composition was improved by Oxford Performance Materials (which was itself acquired by Arkema in 2009). Its composition is very close to that of PEEK, mainly made of ketone and ether. But how and why is PEKK used today? Which manufacturers are offering the material and in what form? What are the applications? We give you the answers to these questions and more in our complete guide.

The position of the ketone bonds can be modified (photo credits: Arkema)

Production and Characteristics of PEKK

As already mentioned, PEKK is often associated with PEEK, which belongs to the same group. PEKK is similar to PEEK not only in name, but also in its components. For example, both contain ketone and ether. The main difference between these two high-performance materials lies in the ether/ketone ratio: PEKK has more ketone bonds, which are more flexible than ether bonds. In particular, this increases the rigidity of the polymer chains, thus raising the glass transition temperature (temperature at which the polymer starts to soften) and the melting temperature. Note also that this ratio is not the only difference. Indeed, the position of the ketone bonds in its aromatic ring can vary, which makes it possible to modify the melting temperature and the crystallization rate.