Title: MORPHOLOGY AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLY-ETHER-ETHER-KETONE (PEEK) AND POLYSULFONE (PSU) BLENDS

Authors: Mohit Agarwal, Siddharth S. Ramkumar, Asaad Shaikh, Jennifer Lynch-Branzoi, Assimina A. Pelegri

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.23.0204

Abstract: Immiscible polymer blends can offer many advantages when the two polymers are well-mixed. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polysulfone (PSU) are stable, engineering-grade polymers in high-temperature industrial applications. PEEK is an aromatic, semicrystalline thermoplastic polymer, and PSU is an amorphous thermoplastic polymer. PEEK is often blended with reinforcing agents, fillers, and other polymers, such as polysulfone (PSU), to form high-performance composites with enhanced properties. PSU has an affinity to PEEK with solid interfacial adhesion. This study combined PEEK with PSU using a unique melt-mixing processing method that imparts uniform shear to form immiscible polymer blend composites at concentrations of 0/100, 20/80, 50/50, 80/20, and 100/0 wt. % PEEK in PSU. The effect of adding PEEK to PSU was investigated on the morphology and flexural mechanical properties. SEM micrographs reveal well-mixed, small domains of PSU and PEEK with good interaction between domains. Flexural modulus increases with the addition of PEEK to PSU. Given the positive interactions and increase in modulus, PEEK/PSU blends offer a cost-effective alternative to PEEK alone for many commercial applications.

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Conference: SAMPE 2023

Publication Date: 2023/04/17

SKU: TP23-0000000204

Pages: 9

Price: $18.00