Peek™ Enhances America’s Cup Yacht

United Internet Team Germany entered this year’s challenge for the America’s Cup with a newly designed yacht, “GER 89,” featuring Victrex® APTIV™ film to protect intensely stressed parts. APTIV film, made with VICTREX ® PEEK™ polymer, was selected for its extreme wear-resistance and is applied to the hull and parts under the deck to protect them from friction and pressures arising from high sailing speeds. Temperatures of up to 300°C (572°F) can be created due to the frictional forces encountered. High performance racing yachts, as those sailed in prestigious races such as the America’s Cup, are similar to Formula 1 racing cars. Both are high-tech products that demand the use of state-of-the-art materials offering exceptional performance in the design and construction to achieve the ultimate in form and function.’ Victrex APTIV films are made from VICTREX PEEK high performance polymer. This high-tech thermoplastic has a high melting temperature of 343°C (649°F) and exceptionally high abrasion and creep resistance, even at high temperatures.

VICTREX PEEK polymer provides excellent hydrolysis and chemical resistance and does not change its properties, even when in constant contact with water. Due to its thermoplastic nature, APTIV film is very easy to process and can be thermoformed, laminated without the use of adhesives, and heat sealed among other processing techniques, and has already found extensive use in applications in many fields.

For more information, contact Dave Wiggins, Victrex USA Inc., 3A Caledon Court, Greenville, SC 29615, 800-VICTREX/215-412-8287, Fax: 864-672-7328, E-mail: dwiggins@victrex.com, Web: www.victrex.com.