MORPHOLOGY AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLY-ETHER-ETHERKETONE (PEEK) AND POLYSULFONE (PSU) BLENDS

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

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSAMPE 2023 Conference and Exhibition
PublisherSoc. for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering
ISBN (Electronic)9781934551431
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
EventSAMPE 2023 Conference and Exhibition - Seattle, United States
Duration: Apr 17 2023Apr 20 2023

Publication series

NameInternational SAMPE Technical Conference
Volume2023-April

Conference

ConferenceSAMPE 2023 Conference and Exhibition
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySeattle
Period4/17/234/20/23

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Materials Science
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

Keywords

  • Experimental mechanics
  • PEEK
  • PSU
  • SEM
  • characterization
  • flexural test
  • mechanical properties
  • microstructure
  • polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
  • thermoplastic resins

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