Chemical Resistance

PEEK tubing is an excellent alternative to stainless steel tubing. Composed of a chemically inert composition, PEEK tubing is not affected by halide salts, high strength buffers, or other aggressive mobile phases that corrode stainless steel. This biodegradable polymer will not leach metal ions into the eluent in chromatographic applications, nor extract metal-sensitive components from the sample delivered by the tubing.

High Temperature Resistance

Metronics PEEK tubing is capable of maintaining its functional integrity up to 204ºC (400ºF).

High Mechanical Strength and Burst Pressure

PEEK has the strength required to withstand continuous use in high-pressure applications without swelling or bursting. In highly reactive chemical environments where stainless steel tubing may be far too reactive, PEEK is a chemically inactive alternative that is often strong enough to deliver the fluid (gas or liquid) without issue. In fact, tubing with an Inner Diameter (ID) of 0.005” (0.127 mm) can hold up to 6,000 psi of pressure at the boiling temperature for water (100ºC [212ºF]), and under the right conditions larger tubing (up to 0.020” [0.508 mm] ID) can be used up to 5,000 psi. Even larger IDs (such as 0.030” [0.762 mm] ID tubing) can be used up to 3,000 psi.

Convenient for All Labs – and Lab Techs

In addition to having low chemical reactivity, high-temperature resistance, and significant mechanical strength characteristics, PEEK tubing is convenient to install, uninstall, cut, and reshape. Only scissors are needed to achieve a clean-cut, whereas using high-cost, inconveniently heavy cutters on metallic tubing may damage the dimensional integrity of the metal tubing’s ID. While close corners and tight lab spaces make traditional metal tubing difficult to position (along with higher costs for custom-formed shapes and bends), PEEK is flexible, easy to adjust, and far more lab tech friendly.

Metronics Customization & ID Dimensional Color-Coding

Metronics PEEK tubing is highly customizable, offering a wider range of IDs that can reach all the way down to a mere 0.002” (0.0508 mm) (far smaller than can be attained by stainless steel tubing). VICI Metronics is able to match both standard and customized dimensions with fittings and competitors’ tubing. This means lab techs, engineers, and scientists can rest assured that this precisely extruded PEEK tubing will work with fittings for your specific application and need, without fear of leaks, flow obstacles, or pressure loss.


While most of our PEEK tubing orders have an Outer Diameter (OD) of 1/16” with an ID range between 0.002” (0.0508 mm) and 0.010” (0.254 mm), VICI Metronics offers both customizable IDs and ODs. We understand that your lab may not need thousands of feet of tubing, and allow smaller volumes of both standard and custom tubing – we can go as low as 100 feet in customized tubing length!


Looking to order a variety of PEEK tubing with varying internal dimensions? VICI Metronics offers solid, dual layer, striped, and dashed tubing to help you quickly and efficiently identify which tubing is being used where.

General Precautions

  • PEEK can be somewhat absorptive of solvents and analytes, notably methylene chloride, DMSO, THF, and high concentrations of sulfuric and nitric acid.
  • The mechanical strength (pressure) limits will be substantially reduced at elevated temperatures, or if the tubing is in contact with specific solvents or acids.
  • Do not hold the tubing in sharp bends or corners tighter than the acceptable bend radii defined below. This tubing will "kink" or “seal off” if held in too sharp a bend over time.

Outer Diameter (OD)

[inch]

Acceptable Bend Radius Limit

[inch (mm)]

1/32

0.33 (8.38)

1/16

0.688 (17.48)

1/8

1.625 (41.28)

When should I use PEEK?

While the most well-known applications of PEEK tubing are for Liquid Chromatographic and Gas Chromatographic applications, PEEK tubing has a wide range of applications because of the material’s general chemical inertness, high heat resistance, and superior mechanical strength. VICI Metronics PEEK tubing takes this convenience one step further by manufacturing precisely customizable sizes to match your current fittings and specifications.

Common Applications of VICI Metronics PEEK Tubing

Applications that our PEEK tubing has been popularly used for:

  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Gas Chromatography
  • Optical systems
  • Fiber-optics applications
  • Electrical applications where flame retardant properties are a must
  • Liquid carbon dioxide cleaner fluid delivery
  • Dental lines to supply high-pressure water

Concerned about your application that is not listed above? Contact us today to determine if PEEK tubing is right for you.

PEEK vs. Fluoropolymer Tubing – What’s the Difference?

PEEK and fluoropolymer tubing have many similar characteristics; both are mostly chemically inert, temperature resistant, mechanically strong, and conveniently flexible.


PEEK tubing has approximately two to three times the burst pressure and tensile strength as its fluoropolymer tubing counterpart (compared at the same dimensions). PEEK tubing is also stiffer than fluoropolymer tubing. PEEK’s higher strength makes it a superior candidate for high pressure and stress applications.


Both tubing types are reactive with particular agents, but those agents differ. Where PEEK can be reactive with methylene chloride, DMSO, THF, and high concentrations of sulfuric and nitric acid, fluoropolymers are reactive with fluorine, molten sodium hydroxide, and molten alkali metals.


Another difference is that fluoropolymers have an extremely low coefficient of friction. This characteristic makes fluoropolymer a superior candidate in delivering sticky or viscous fluids.


Unsure which polymer tubing is right for your application? VICI Metronics offers not only PEEK tubing, but standard and customizable fluoropolymer tubing as well. Contact us today to speak to our tubing experts to determine which polymer is right for your application.

Detailed Specifications

Below are listed the general technical specifications for our PEEK tubing. Please refer to the specific PEEK product (dual-layer, solid color, and striped color) to find the specific technical specifications for each individual product.

Chemical Resistance

  • Chemically inert up to 20ºC (68ºF)
  • Chemical resistance for many chemicals up to 200ºC (392ºF)
  • Chemical resistance for 50% ethylene glycol up to 14ºC (57ºF)

Maximum Operating Pressure

Maximum operating pressure is directly linked to wall thickness (the delta between the OD and ID dimension) and operating temperature. As the temperature increases, the maximum allowable operating pressure will decrease. The table below lists the maximum operating pressures for each standard OD dimension.

Outer Diameter (OD)

[inch (mm)]

Max. Operating Pressure

[psi]

0.014 (0.356)

5,200

0.031 (0.787)

6,600

0.062 (1.575)

7,000

0.125 (3.175)

5,500

Service Temperature

Max recommended service temperature is up to 100ºC (212ºF) for 1/16” OD with an ID up to 0.03” (75 mm).

Dimensional Integrity

  • Dimensional stability is assured with tight ID tolerances, as detailed below:
    • ID tolerance ± 0.0005” (± 0.0127 mm) for IDs up to 0.010” (0.254 mm)
    • ID tolerance ± 0.001” (± 0.0254 mm) for IDs up to 0.060” (1.524 mm)
    • ID tolerance ± 0.003” (± 0.0762 mm) for IDs larger than 0.060” (1.524 mm)
  • Customizable IDs and ODs available to fit your fittings’ specifications
  • Manufacturable to standard Valco fittings and ferrules
  • With a 1/16” OD, tubing ID can range between 0.002” (0.0508 mm) and 0.055” (1.397 mm)
    • Please note: as the ID increases the tubing wall inherently thins. As such, there is a relative limit to what ID can be customized with a specific OD.
  • The standard product OD can reach up to 1/8”

Standard & Custom Sizing Low Volume Orders Accepted

  • Standardized PEEK tubing is available in as low as the following lengths:
    • 5 feet, 10 feet, 25 feet, 50 feet, 100 feet
  • Customized PEEK tubing is available in as low as 100 to 300 feet for certain orders