Wear performance of PEEK–carbon fabric composites with strengthened fiber–matrix interface

Powder-prepreg method was used to develop composites with untreated and cold remote nitrogen–oxygen (0.5%) plasma (CRNOP) treated carbon fabric (CF) (67–68 wt%) and poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) followed by the evaluation of physical and mechanical properties. Tribo-evaluation in adhesive wear mode was done by sliding a composite pin against a mild steel disc under various loads. It was observed that surface treated fabric composites were excellent in mechanical (tensile, flexural and ILSS – interlaminar shear strength) and tribological properties. A low coefficient of friction (0.21–0.28) and wear rates (1–12 × 10−15 m3/Nm) were recorded for these composites. An enhanced fiber–matrix adhesion was found to play a key role for improvement in performance properties. Raman spectroscopic and SEM studies on worn composites were done and correlated with the wear performance.