Poly Ether Ether Ketone Copolymers Research Articles

Synthesis and properties of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) copolymers with pendant methyl groups

Polyether ether ketone and polyether ether ketone copolymers were prepared by the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone with hydroquinone and with varying mole proportions of hydroquinone and methyl hydroquinone using sulfolane solvent in the presence of anhydrous K 2CO 3. The polymers were characterised by different physico-chemical techniques. The crystallinity of the polymers was found to decrease with increase in concentration of the methyl hydroquinone units in the polymer. Thermogravimetric studies showed that all the polymers were stable upto 430 °C with a char yield above 49% at 900 °C in N 2 atmosphere. The glass transition temperature was found to increase and the crystalline melting temperature and activation energy were found to decrease with increase in concentration of the methyl hydroquinone units in the polymer.

Co-crystallization in PEEK Copolymers

Thermal and wide-angle x-ray scattering (wAxs) studies of a new set of copolymers of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) with ether diphenyl ether ketone (EDEK) have been undertaken. The copolymerization modifies the properties of PEEK. At low levels of comonomer content the incorporation of the comonomer unit lowers the melting temperature and reduces the degree of crystallinity. At higher levels the melting point increases towards that of the PEDEK homopolymer. The x-ray structure is very similar to that of PEEK, consistent with rejection of the comonomer at low levels of comonomer content. At high levels the structure is very similar to that of PEDEK while at intermediate levels the structure is found to 'swtich' from that of PEEK to that of PEDEK, consistent with co-crystallization of the two monomer units.