Fillers and Reinforcing Materials

In a variety of applications for engineering materials, PEEK is used as a composite with reinforcing materials. These include  

Other filler materials are hydroxyapatite, aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride. In addition, nanofillers are used. PEEK polymer filled with nano sized silica or alumina fillers of 15-30 nm exhibit an improvement of the mechanical properties by 20-50%. The agglomeration tendency can be somewhat dimiiushed by a modification of the surface of the fillers with stearic acid. ° 

PEEK derivatives have significant commercial utility as plastics, especially as molded articles and as composites with glass, carbon, and Kevlar fibers for a variety of structural applications, including the aerospace and general engineering industries. PEEK also finds applications as extruded rods and profiles for manufacture of bushings, seals, etc. 

In general, they are processed using extruders and injection molding machines in the temperature range of 360-400°C, thus requiring extremely high thermal stability. Examples of uses are summarized in Table 6.5. Subsequently, we will discuss some selected topics in detail. 

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ISO 1043-2 2000 Plastics - Symbols and abbreviated terms - Part 2 Fillers and reinforcing materials... 

Kneading elements are predominantly used for the plastification of polymers, the dispersion of fillers and reinforcing materials, but also for mixing processes. 

TABLE 9.4 Forms of Fillers and Reinforcing Materials Commonly Used with Epoxy Resins5... 

ISO 1043 - Part 2-88 Plastics — Symbols — Part 3 Fillers and Reinforcing Materials, First Edition — 1988, 4 pp... 

In contrast to polyblends, composites consist of a polymeric matrix in which a solid filler or reinforcing material is dispersed. An exact differentiation between filler and reinforcing material is sometimes difficult (50). The so-called "aspect ratio," that is, the ratio of length to thickness, of the added material determined whether it acts as a filler or as a reinforcing material. 

Because of its low melt viscosity, PPS can be molded with high loadings of fillers or reinforcing materials. The fillers and reinforcing materials enhance the strength, dimensional stability, and other properties. PPS exhibits flame retardancy and thus is ideal for high-temperature electrical applications. 

Table 28 provides an overview of the effects of known fillers and reinforcing materials on the property profiles of plastics. 

Fibrous fillers and reinforcing materials Platelet - form types Spherical filling materials ... 

Fillers and reinforcing materials for selective modification of certain, predominant mechanical, properties. 

Plastics—Symbols and abbreviated terms— Part 2 Fillers and reinforcing materials International Standard ISO 1043-3 Plastics—Symbols and abbreviated terms—Part 3 Plasticizers 1043-3 Second Edition 4-15-96 ... 

Adhesives generally react to radiation in much the same manner as the plastics or elastomers from which they are derived. Generally, those containing aromatic compounds show good resistance to radiation. Fillers and reinforcing materials improve the radiation stability of these products substantially, while also improving other properties. 

Summarizing, it is necessary to emphasize the increase of role of the renewable bast fibers in replacing inorganic filler and reinforcement materials, e.g., glass fibers in composites. 

More recently, several novel conductive plastics have been introduced to provide shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI). Filler and reinforcing materials contending for these applications include carbon fibers metallized mitrospheres aluminum fibers, flakes, and ribbon and aluminum-metallized glass fibers. 

The resultant PUR plastics can be quite different, depending on the raw material components and the conditions under which they are processed. The chemistry-inclined reader can find information in this literature (e.g., [2,3]) about the diversity of PUR raw materials, the used additives, fillers and reinforcing materials, as well as processing variants. Table 1.2 shows various PUR materials and their typical applications. 

Abrasive effects are created due to dynamic forces formed at the collision of flow fronts where weld lines occur in the molded part. This effect is particularly strong at the end of mold filling, in the so-called compression shock . The extent of wear increases with the amount of abrasive fillers and reinforcing materials. The consequences are local mold surface roughnesses or washouts. 

Engineering thermoplastics can be fabricated by conventional means into mechanically functional parts or structural components. They often are modified by adding stabilizers, fire retardants, fillers, and reinforcement materials. Only a few members of this diverse class of resins will be discussed here. 

Thermoset plastics are almost always processed with fillers and reinforcing materials. This is done to extend and reinforce synthetic resin and especially to minimise shrinkage. Examples of common fillers and reinforcing materials are shown in Table 7.2. 

An international system of symbols has been devised, ISO 1043-1 (Part 1), which provides a structured means of describing polymers and rubbers. It will also allow special characteristics to be allocated where the polymer has been modified in some way, e.g. chlorinated, plasticized or crosslinked. Parts two and three of ISO 1043-1 cover symbols for fillers and reinforcing materials, and plasticizers respectively. 

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