Development of polyether ether ketone-based composites by fused filament fabrication: High-temperature resistance and high performance

Abstract

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK), known for its excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, self-lubrication, and chemical resistance, is widely used in aerospace, automotive, construction, and biomedical engineering. However, PEEK faces challenges such as high porosity, low interlayer bond strength, and warpage during fused filament fabrication (FFF). To address these issues, researchers explored multi-material blends by combining PEEK with poly(phthalazine ether nitrile ketone) (PPENK) and poly(etherimide) (PEI). PPENK improves the glass transition temperature and mechanical properties, while PEI enhances compatibility and interlayer bonding. The resulting PEEK/PPENK/PEI composites showed a notable increase in glass transition temperature (T_g) to 167 °C, compared to 143 °C for pure PEEK. Mechanical testing revealed significant improvements: tensile strength rose to 75.7 MPa (7.4 % improvement), elongation at break jumped to 36.5 % (176 % improvement), and flexural strength reached 110.5 MPa (11.2 % improvement). Notably, the tensile yield strength greatly increased from 9.7 MPa of PEEK to 18.1 MPa (86.6 % improvement) of PEEK/PPENK/PEI at high temperature of 150 °C. The composites also demonstrated reduced porosity, enhanced interlayer bonding, and better warpage control, making them promising candidates for high-performance applications.