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Thermal stability of PEEK/carbon fiber in air and its influence on consolidation
Author(s) -
Phillips Richard,
Glauser Thierry,
Månson JanAnders E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10302
Subject(s) - materials science , peek , composite material , thermogravimetric analysis , differential scanning calorimetry , isothermal process , rheology , thermal stability , arrhenius equation , dynamic mechanical analysis , consolidation (business) , activation energy , thermodynamics , polymer , chemical engineering , chemistry , physics , accounting , organic chemistry , engineering , business
Abstract The thermal stability of carbon fiber‐reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK/CF) in air and its influence on consolidation are characterized under simulated processing conditions. The changes in dynamic shear modulus, melting temperature, heat of fusion and glass transition temperature due to chemical reactions and morphology changes were monitored by dynamic rheological analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Thermal decomposition in air and simultaneous thermooxidative reaction of PEEK resin exposed to temperatures slightly higher than normal processing temperatures were observed by thermogravimetric and dynamic rheological analysis. The initial stage of this thermo‐oxidative reaction, under isothermal and non‐isothermal conditions, was modeled by a exponential‐based Arrhenius expression. The consolidation of PEEK/CF is affected by the thermal oxidation of the resin, which delays time to intimate contact between the plies. A consolidation model, predicting the degree of intimate contact, is extended to also take into account the rheological changes of the system. Finally, a processing limit regarding the thermal stability is defined based on the model and the experimental results.