PEEK has the characteristics of high temperature resistance, radiation resistance, corrosion resistance, good dimensional stability, and excellent electrical properties. It also has excellent processing properties, easy to injection molding, extrusion molding and cutting processing, and is a special engineering plastic with the best overall performance First, it is at the top of the plastic material pyramid together with special engineering plastics such as polyimide. In special application scenarios, PEEK has excellent properties that cannot be replaced by other polymers, and demand has grown rapidly in recent years.
1. Modification method of PEEK
The modification of PEEK with fiber reinforcement, inorganic filler filling and organic material blending can further enhance the mechanical properties, heat resistance and friction resistance of PEEK, and obtain PEEK plastic alloy or PEEK composite material with better performance. At the same time, due to The price of PEEK material itself is higher than that of general engineering plastics. Blending with other materials can not only endow the material with more excellent properties, but also improve the cost-effectiveness of the material, reduce the material cost, and expand the scope of use.
At present, the main modification methods of PEEK materials include fiber-reinforced PEEK, inorganic filler-filled PEEK, blending modification of organic materials, and blending with other polymers.
1. Fiber reinforcement
Glass fiber, carbon fiber and various whiskers have a good affinity with polyether ether ketone. Therefore, they are often selected as fillers to reinforce polyether ether ketone to make high-performance composite materials and improve the strength of polyether ether ketone resin. , Use temperature, etc. The use of glass fiber, carbon nanotubes, and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK composite materials has significantly improved mechanical and thermal properties.
2. Filling modification of inorganic filler
The inorganic fillers that can be used for filling are usually micron and nanometer inorganic particles, such as alumina, CuO, ZrO2 and so on. Nanoparticles not only have the properties of size effect and high chemical reactivity, but also interact with the polymer interface. Therefore, they are widely used in the modification of PEEK and other polymers.
3. Organic blending modification
Blending polyether ether ketone with organic polymer materials with higher glass transition temperature can not only improve the thermal performance of the composite material and reduce the production cost, but also have a great impact on its mechanical properties. PEEK can be blended with polymers such as PTFE, LCP, PEI, PI, etc.
4. Surface modification
Due to poor compatibility and hydrophilicity between PEEK composite materials, physical and chemical treatment of the surface of PEEK or additives can change the surface structure, improve polarity and hydrophilicity, and thus Further improve the force with other substances and the physical properties of composite materials.
5. Hybrid modification
Because the use of a single material to enhance and modify PEEK can only improve its performance to a limited extent. For example, chemical modification mainly improves its thermal properties, fiber reinforcement mainly improves its mechanical properties, inorganic filling changes its friction properties, and a variety of different materials are used at the same time Modification of PEEK can improve its comprehensive performance, so hybrid modification has attracted more and more attention.
Second, the application field of PEEK
PEEK materials have been developed in foreign countries for decades, and have been widely used in cutting-edge fields such as aerospace, electronic information, medical equipment, and nuclear power generation in my country. However, the relatively high price for a long time has restricted their use for general civilian use. Market penetration is currently mainly used in aerospace, high-end industry and medical fields.
1. Aerospace
PEEK can replace aluminum and other metal materials to manufacture aircraft parts, reducing weight by up to 70% compared to metal and improving fuel efficiency. At present, Boeing, Airbus and other companies have adopted PEEK materials in large quantities.
2. Medical
PEEK has the advantages of non-toxicity, light weight, corrosion resistance, and excellent biocompatibility. It is a potential bioprosthesis material. Used in intervertebral fusion cages, medical catheters, bones, etc.
3. Energy
PEEK is specially used in high temperature, high pressure and chemically corrosive environments, and can expand the scope of oil and gas exploration. It can be used to manufacture the ring and mesh valve plates of hydrogen compressors and petroleum gas compressors on large petrochemical production lines. In addition, PEEK can also be used for nuclear power components.
4. Car
PEEK has excellent mechanical properties, excellent chemical resistance to automotive working fluids, and good wear resistance. It is widely used in automotive gears, vacuum pumps, clutches, valve cones, etc., to improve fuel efficiency and increase durability.
5. Food and beverage industry
PEEK can be used for food processing, storage, cooking equipment parts, and water and beverage transmission and storage equipment, such as pipes, valves, containers, etc.
6. Electronic and electrical
PEEK has excellent electrical properties and is an ideal electrical insulator. It can still maintain good electrical insulation in harsh environments such as high temperature, high pressure and high humidity. It is used to manufacture wafer loaders, insulating diaphragms, printed circuit boards, and high temperature connections. Plug-ins and various electrical connectors, etc. PEEK film can be applied to micro speaker diaphragm, 5G radio frequency antenna substrate, etc.Modification and application of PEEK.docx