Polyamide-imide (PAI) is one of the toughest resins to process, yet one of the highest performing. That combination makes it rare—and valuable to engineers and designers working with high-demand applications. Only two companies worldwide can melt-process PAI into rod, plate, and tubular shapes. Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) is the larger of them. We learned how to extrude and cure this material in the 1980s and have been mastering it ever since.

Why Don’t More Companies Process PAI?

High resin cost, long cure times, and material variability all make PAI a challenging addition to any delivery program. Other reasons include:

  • PAI doesn’t fully melt like other thermoplastics
  • When heated up for extrusion, it flows like wet cement
  • As it moves through equipment, PAI gets even thicker due to chemical reactions that help strengthen it
  • PAI is highly sensitive to shear and any moisture in the mix can reduce its performance
  • Each shape requires a multi-week cure cycle to build up thermal and mechanical properties like wear resistance, chemical stability, and impact resistance

MCG Difference

Processing PAI demands time, capital, and care. At MCG, we offer more sizes and shapes, manage the complex cure cycle, and deliver high-performance shapes when you need them. When you specify Duratron™ PAI, you can trust what shows up. Our team monitors every batch closely, running destructive tests throughout the process. We inspect every shape during and after production runs for camber, machinability, cleanliness, and dimensional accuracy.

How to Choose the Right Duratron™ PAI Grade

Step 1: Decide the size and shape needed.

We offer two shaping options, each with unique processing paths:

Extruded shapes

Highest performance.

  • Rod: 062 – 5ʺ diameter, 8′ long
  • Plate: 187 – 1.25ʺ thick, 12ʺ wide
  • Tube: Outer diameter (OD)/Inner diameter (ID) from 1.25ʺ x 0.75ʺ to 14ʺ x 2.25ʺ

 

Compression molded

Small quantities of tubular shapes and unique recipes (especially when extruded sizes are not available). Great for smaller volumes or custom sizes.

  • Rod: 25 – 12ʺ diameter, up to 6ʺ long
  • Plate: 375 – 1.25ʺ thick, 12ʺ or 14ʺ wide
  • Tube: OD/ID from 2.75ʺ x 1ʺ to 8ʺ x 5ʺ

 

Step 2: Find your fit.

We offer multiple grades to support different application needs:

Grade Type

Key Properties

Extruded Shapes

Compression Molded 
Non-reinforced Superior impact strength, insulation Duratron™ T4203 Duratron™ T4503
Wear Low friction, excellent wear resistance Duratron™ T4301 Duratron™ T4501
Duratron™ T4540
Glass-reinforced Added stiffness, strength, and insulation Duratron™ T5030 Duratron™ T5530
Carbon fiber-reinforced High stiffness, strength, and dimensional stability Duratron™ T7130 Duratron™ T7530
Aerospace Dimensional stability over wide temperature range Duratron™ T4301 AE
Duratron™ T4203 AE

 

 

We’re here to help.

Not sure which grade of Duratron™ PAI fits your customer’s specifications? Contact our team via telephone, email or LiveChat.
We’ll walk you through it.
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