Electronic structure of poly(ether—ether—ketone), PEEK

Abstract

The electronic structure of poly(ether—ether—ketone) (PEEK) is investigated by combining X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy data with the results of theoretical calculations. XPS core level spectra are related to the charge distribution on the chain, and shake-up satellites are analyzed in terms of electron interaction between the phenyl rings. The UPS spectra are interpreted from the theoretical densities of valence states calculated by the valence effective Hamiltonian (VEH) method. The results show that the electronic structure of PEEK is basically identical to that of a short-chain model molecule, indicating that the ground state of the polymer remains localized, with no long-range electronic interaction along the chain.