Morphologies, Mechanical Properties and Wear of Poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) and its Composites Reinforced with Mica

Poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) composites were developed using mica as a filler. Sulfonated poly(ether ketone ketone) (S-PEKK), a possible interfacial modifier, was coated on the mica surface with ca. 50 nm thickness, as observed by contact atomic force microscope (AFM). The morphologies of these materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In comparison with PEKK, significantly improved mechanical properties were obtained for the composite materials. With increasing content of mica in the materials, tensile modulus of the materials increased and ultimate elongation decreased. The composites containing 30 wt.-% of mica exhibited a maximum tensile strength of about 200 MPa while pure PEKK showed a tensile strength of 102 MPa. The composites filled with mica treated by S-PEKK displayed somewhat higher values of tensile strength and ultimate elongation than those generated using pure mica. The glass transition behavior and thermal stability of PEKK were not affected by the composition of the materials. The amount of mica used in the composites showed some influence on the coefficient of friction and wearing rate of these materials.