Mechanical Properties of Polyether Ether Ketone

As seen in Table 3.1, the incorporation of 50% glass fiber into polyether ether ketone (PEEK) increased the tensile strength from 92 to 150 MPa and increased the flexural modulus from 3.7 to 10.3 GPa, while decreasing the elongation at break from 50% to 2.2%. 

LNP Engineering Plastics [12] introduced a series of formulations based on polyketone-reinforced glass and carbon fiber with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as lubricant. These polymers have good impact performances for a wide temperature range they have high chemical resistance, good hydrolytic stability, and superior resilience. 

These polymers are targeted at the automotive, business machine, domestic appliances, and electrical markets. 

Khoshravan and Bathias [13] used dynamic mechanical analysis to measure rheological and viscoelastic properties of glass fiber-reinforced polyether ether ketone. 

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Deng, M., Wrana, J.S., Allan, J.M., and Shalaby, S.W. 1999. Tailoring mechanical properties of polyether-ether ketone for implants using solid-state orientation. Trans. Soc. Biomater, (submitted). El-Ghannam, A., Starr, L., and Jones, J. 1998. Laminin-5 coating enhances epithelial cell attachment, spreading, and hemidesmosome assembly on T1-6A1-4V implant material in vitro. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 41 30. 

For some applications, however, an improvanent in the mechanical properties of polyether ether ketone would be desirable. It has been found that the incorporation of 30% glass fiber into the formulation produces a distinct improvement in mechanical properties without compromising electrical properties ... 

Zhou et al. [173] studied the effects of surface treatment of calcium carbonate particles with sulfonated polyether ether ketone on the mechanical and thermal properties of composites with polyether ether ketone in various proportions prepared using a twin-screw extruder. These workers used tensile, impact, and flexural testing, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. The influences of filler particle, loading, and surface treatment on deformation and crystallinity of polyether ether ketone were discussed. 

Polymers used for seat and plug seals and internal static seals include PTFE (polytetrafluoroeth ene) and other fluorocarbons, polyethylene, nylon, polyether-ether-ketone, and acetal. Fluorocarbons are often carbon or glass-filled to improve mechanical properties and heat resistance. Temperature and chemical compatibility with the process fluid are the key selec tion criteria. Polymer-lined bearings and guides are used to decrease fric tion, which lessens dead band and reduces actuator force requirements. See Sec. 28, Materials of Construction, for properties. 

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and Polyether sulphone (PES) belong to the most recent developments in the field of technical high-performance polymers. Both possess very good thermal and mechanical properties, which can be further improved by reinforcing fibres. Their application is mainly in aircraft and space vehicles. 

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a linear, aromatic, semi-crystalline thermoplastic possessing excellent thermal stability, chemical resistance and mechanical properties under engineering applications. It has the repeating unit structure, 0—Ph—O—Ph—CO Ph—, wherein "Ph" is the 1,4-phenylene unit. Its true scientific name is poly (oxy-1, 4-phenylene-oxy-l, 4-phenylenecarbonyl-l, 4-phenylene). The polymer is featured in a wide range of applications including transportation, energy, industrial, electronics, semiconductor and medical. 

Modified polyether-ether-ketones are of eonsiderable interest due to their exeellent mechanical toughness, thermo-oxidative stability, solvent resistanee and high transition temperature. In the last deeade eonsiderable effort has been spent to introduce chemical modifications in this class of polymers in order to obtain better physical properties and to build up membranes for eleetro-dialysis, gas dehumidification and gas separation. Relatively few atomistie simulations have been performed on this class of polymers. The monomer strueture, experimental density and the glass transition temperature of the four poly(ether ether ketone)s is reported in Figure 1.5. 

Fra Francis, B., Thomas, S., Thomas, S. P., Ramaswamy, R., Rao, V. L. Diglycidyl ether of bisphe-nol-A epoxy resin-polyether sulfone/polyether sulfone ether ketone blends phase morphology, fracture toughness and thermo-mechanical properties. Colloid Polym. Sci. 285 (2006) 83-93. 

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