A comprehensive study on controlling the porosity of CCF300/PEEK composites by optimizing the impregnation parameters

In order to manufacture excellent CCF300/PEEK composites, a comprehensive study on controlling porosity of CCF300/PEEK composites was investigated by optimizing the impregnation parameters. Four kinds of PEEK with different melting flow rates (MFR) were employed to study on their rheology behavior and reveal the processing characteristics. The results showed that the viscous flow of PEEK has a higher dependence on the processing pressure than temperature. Furthermore, PEEK rheology behavior was employed to assist the optimization of impregnation parameters. PEEK powders were coated on both sides of single layer CCF300 by a preheating process, and then the semi-impregnated forms were stacked layer by layer to manufacture CCF300/PEEK composites. An optimized impregnation prediction model was established and verified, showing a pretty effective prediction about pressure and holding time at a certain temperature to control the porosity and achieve the full impregnation. Afterwards, the well-impregnated CCF300/PEEK composites were evaluated by their compressive performance, flexural performance and interlaminar shear performance, showing good interfacial and interlaminar bonding to resist the propagation of cracks. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3765-3779, 2018. (c) 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers