Study on Mechanical Properties of PEEK Composites

Abstract

The tensile properties of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites, which were reinforced with short fibers, such as short carbon fiber (SCF), short glass fiber (SGF), or filled with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTEF), expanded graphite and nano material TiO2 were examined and studied. The weight content of short fibers, PTFE and expanded graphite was varied from 0-15%, and of TiO2 was varied from 0-8%. The results showed, with increasing of the weight content of short fibers, the tensile performance (tensile strength and modulus) of PEEK composites was increased rapidly. If the weight percent of short fibers was more than 10%, this increasing tendency became slowly. With the increasing of PTFE content, the tensile strength was increased at first and then decreased rapidly. However, the tensile modulus kept constant during the change of PTFE content. The influence of expanded graphite and nano particles TiO2 on mechanical properties of PEEK composites was also be studied here. Meanwhile, the reasons of different influence of these fillers were analyzed during microstructure changes of PEEK composites with SEM photographs.