Characterization of the mechanical behavior of PEKK polymer and C/PEKK composite materials for aeronautical applications below and above the glass transition temperature

Abstract

This paper is focused on the characterization of the thermomechanical properties of semicrystalline poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEKK) and of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic based laminated composites (C/PEKK) below and above the glass transition temperature (T_g). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and tensile tests are carried out on both pure PEKK polymer and [(±45)2, +45]s C/PEKK composite samples, showing a significant similarity in behavior. The employment of a simple micromechanical model confirms that the mechanical and physical behavior of the polymer and that of the matrix in the composite are similar.