High performance PEEK/carbon nanotube composites compatibilized with polysulfones-I. Structure and thermal properties Original Research Article

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK)/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) composites incorporating polysulfones as compatibilizers were fabricated by melt-blending, after pre-processing based on ball milling and mechanical treatments in an organic solvent. Their structure, morphology and thermal properties have been investigated. Microscopic observations showed a uniform distribution of the CNTs and good miscibility between the compatibilizer and matrix phases. The incorporation of wrapped SWCNTs leads to a remarkable increase in the degradation temperatures of the matrix in comparison with non-compatibilized samples, attributed to the high thermal stability of the polysulfones and the compatibilizing effect. The addition of very small CNT loadings raises the crystallization temperature and the degree of crystallinity of PEEK. At higher concentrations, the inactive nucleating activity of the nanofillers, the confinement of the polymer chains within the CNT network and the presence of an amorphous compatibilizer moderately hinder PEEK crystallization. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments indicate the existence of reorganization phenomena of the matrix crystals during the heating of the composites. Improved thermal properties are found for composites incorporating arc-purified SWCNTs, attributed to the higher degree of debundling and lower metal content of these CNTs. These compatibilized composites are new materials for potential high-temperature structural applications.