THERMAL AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF ARYL KETONE POLYMERS AND THEIR COMPOSITES

Carbon fibre composites of polyaryletheretherketone (PEEK), APC-2, have been extracted with mixed solvents in order to separate the polymer matrix. A comparison of the crystallisation behaviour of this material with standard PEEK has been made. Nucleation by carbon fibre was only observed after the samples were sheared and this was attributed to stress-induced nucleation. On allowing to relax in the melt, and in the absence of residual stresses, no surface nucleation by the carbon fibres was observed. The fracture toughness and flexural modulus of the composite are discussed in terms of thermal history, as well as the dynamic mechanical thermal behaviour.