MISCIBLE BLENDS OF MODIFIED POLY(ARYL ETHER KETONES) WITH AROMATIC POLYIMIDES

The phase behavior of binary blends of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), sulfonated PEEK, and sulfamidated PEEK with aromatic polyimides is reported. PEEK was determined to be immiscible with a poly (amide imide) (TORLON 4000T). Blends of sulfonated and sulfamidated PEEK with this poly(amide imide), however, are reported here to be miscible in all proportions. Blends of sulfonated PEEK and a poly (ether imide) (ULTEM 1000) are also reported to be miscible. Spectroscopic investigations of the intermolecular interactions suggest that formation of electron donor-acceptor complexes between the sulfonated/sulfamidated phenylene rings of the PEEKs and the N-phenylene units of the polyimides are responsible for this miscibility.