Hoechst AG (D-65926 Frankfurt) has launched a new additive for fluoropolymers. Marketed under the trade name "Ceramer", it is a polyphenylene sulfone (PPSO2), which offers a peformance profile in PTFE materials unmatched by any other organic or inorganic filler. Ceramer can also be used to improve the metallizability of polymers, although again the effect is particularly marked with fluoropolymers. In combination with other polymer systems, Ceramer also achieves higher abrasion resistance and lower creep. As a pure material, Ceramer has high thermal stability and exceptional chemical resistance and extensive processing trials are being carried out on it.