A low-density polyether ether ketone composite material and a method for preparing the same

Abstract

This invention discloses a low-density polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite material and its preparation method. Belonging to the field of polymer composite technology, it specifically relates to a PEEK composite material, particularly a PEEK-based composite material containing hollow glass microspheres. The composite material is made from the following raw materials by weight percentage: 85%–95% PEEK resin and 5%–15% hollow glass microspheres. This invention reduces microsphere breakage during processing and improves the interfacial bonding between the microspheres and the PEEK matrix by surface modification of the hollow glass microspheres and optimization of the extrusion process. The resulting composite material has a density as low as 1.14–1.23 g / cm³ and exhibits good mechanical properties and wear resistance, with a friction coefficient as low as 0.32, making it suitable for lightweight wear-resistant components in aerospace, electronic equipment, and other applications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of polymer composite material technology, specifically relating to a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composite material, and more particularly to a PEEK-based composite material containing hollow glass microspheres and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic engineering plastic that combines high strength, high modulus, low density, high temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, and excellent electrical insulation properties. Due to these comprehensive characteristics, PEEK has been widely used in aerospace, automotive manufacturing, electronics, medical devices, and petrochemical industries. Its specific applications often utilize one or more of these properties, such as lightweight structural components, corrosion-resistant seals, highly insulating electronic components, and self-lubricating bearings and gears.

[0003] Although PEEK's density (approximately 1.30~1.35 g / cm³) is significantly lower than that of most metallic materials, there is still a strong demand for further reducing the material density to achieve even greater lightweighting in cutting-edge applications where weight is extremely sensitive, such as drones, wearable devices, and aerospace interior components. Furthermore, while PEEK possesses some intrinsic wear resistance, its wear rate remains insufficient under harsh conditions such as high speeds, dry friction, or high loads, limiting its application in moving parts where higher wear lifespan is required.

[0004] Adding lightweight fillers is a common and more controllable technical approach than foaming to reduce the density of PEEK-based materials. Hollow glass microspheres are hollow, thin-walled spherical inorganic powders with a density typically only 0.1–0.6 g / cm³. Introducing them into a PEEK matrix is ​​expected to significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material. However, when hollow glass microspheres are directly combined with PEEK, the weak interfacial bonding leads to easy agglomeration of the microspheres, often resulting in unacceptable severe degradation of key mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact toughness, making it difficult to meet the mechanical requirements of load-bearing components. Furthermore, the processing conditions for PEEK materials are too harsh, and the glass microspheres may break due to the strong shearing effect of twin-screw extruders. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a low-density polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composite material and its preparation method. By optimizing the process and treating the filler interface, the overall performance is improved, thereby better meeting the market demand for lightweight and wear-resistant PEEK materials.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: A method for preparing a low-density polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite material, the raw materials of which include the following components: 85-95% PEEK resin and 5-15% hollow glass microspheres; after the above components are thoroughly mixed and homogeneous, the mixture is kept at 200°C for 0.5-1 h, and then granulated by a twin-screw extruder at 360-390°C to obtain product plastic granules; wherein the hollow glass microspheres are surface-treated before use; and the screw structure of the twin-screw extruder does not contain kneading blocks.

[0007] Preferably, the granulation temperature is 365~375℃.

[0008] Preferably, the screw speed is 130~150 r / min.

[0009] Preferably, the surface treatment process of hollow glass microspheres is as follows: take 10%-15% of the mass of hollow glass microspheres of acid anhydride, grind it and mix it thoroughly with the hollow glass microspheres, place it in a forced-air drying oven at 200°C for 1-2 hours, and then raise the temperature to 220°C and continue drying for 0.5-1 hour.

[0010] Preferably, the anhydride is maleic anhydride.

[0011] Preferably, the screw structure of the twin-screw extruder consists entirely of conveyor blocks.

[0012] The material was injection molded, and its mechanical and frictional properties were tested.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention introduces hollow glass microspheres into the PEEK resin system. By controlling the process parameters, the integrity of the hollow glass microspheres is preserved, which not only reduces the material density but also improves the wear resistance of the material.

[0014] Before granulation, the raw materials are treated at a constant temperature of 200℃. This reduces the moisture in the raw materials and preheats the glass microspheres to prevent them from breaking due to large temperature changes when they enter the twin-screw extruder.

[0015] This invention improves the problem of hollow glass microspheres being easily peeled off and causing the friction interface transfer film to fail during the friction process by performing a simple surface treatment. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 The friction coefficient / time curves are for the materials in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should also be noted that, to avoid obscuring the invention with unnecessary details, other details not closely related to the invention have been omitted in the description of the embodiments. Example 1

[0018] The present invention provides a method for preparing a low-density polyetheretherketone composite material, the composition of which includes the following components: 95% PEEK resin (by mass) and 5% hollow glass microspheres (by mass). After thoroughly mixing all the above components, the mixture is kept at 200℃ for 0.5 hours, and then granulated at 370℃ using a twin-screw extruder to obtain the product plastic granules. The hollow glass microspheres are surface-treated before use. The screw structure of the twin-screw extruder contains only a conveyor block, and the screw speed is 150 r / min. The surface treatment process of hollow glass microspheres is as follows: take 10% of the mass of maleic anhydride of hollow glass microspheres, grind it and mix it thoroughly with hollow glass microspheres, place it in a forced-air drying oven at 200℃ for 1 hour, and then heat it up to 220℃ and continue drying for 0.5 hours.

[0019] The prepared composite material was injection molded to obtain specimens for testing its density, mechanical strength, and friction properties. Mechanical property testing conditions followed ISO 572, ISO 178, and ISO 179; friction testing conditions were: pin-disc mode, load: 35 N, linear velocity: 0.5 m / s, test duration: 2 h. Specific data are shown in Table 1. Example 2

[0020] The present invention provides a method for preparing a low-density polyetheretherketone composite material, the composition of which includes the following components: 90% PEEK resin (by mass) and 10% hollow glass microspheres (by mass). After thoroughly mixing all the above components, the mixture is kept at 200℃ for 0.5 hours, and then granulated at 370℃ using a twin-screw extruder to obtain the product plastic granules. The hollow glass microspheres are surface-treated before use. The screw structure of the twin-screw extruder contains only a backflow block and a conveying block, and the screw speed is 145 r / min. The surface treatment process of hollow glass microspheres is as follows: Take 15% of the mass of maleic anhydride of hollow glass microspheres, grind it and mix it thoroughly with hollow glass microspheres, place it in a forced-air drying oven at 200℃ for 2 hours, and then heat it up to 220℃ and continue drying for 0.5 hours.

[0021] The prepared composite material was injection molded to obtain specimens for testing its density, mechanical strength, and friction properties. Mechanical property testing conditions followed ISO 572, ISO 178, and ISO 179; friction testing conditions were: pin-disc mode, load: 35 N, linear velocity: 0.5 m / s, test duration: 2 h. Specific data are shown in Table 1. Example 3

[0022] The present invention provides a method for preparing a low-density polyetheretherketone composite material, the composition of which includes the following components: 85% PEEK resin (by mass) and 15% hollow glass microspheres (by mass). After thoroughly mixing all the above components, the mixture is kept at 200℃ for 0.5 hours, and then granulated at 370℃ using a twin-screw extruder to obtain the product plastic granules. The hollow glass microspheres are surface-treated before use. The screw structure of the twin-screw extruder contains only a conveyor block, and the screw speed is 140 r / min. The surface treatment process of hollow glass microspheres is as follows: Take 15% maleic anhydride by weight of hollow glass microspheres, grind it and mix it thoroughly with hollow glass microspheres, place it in a forced-air drying oven at 200℃ for 2 hours, and then raise the temperature to 220℃ and continue drying for 1 hour.

[0023] The prepared composite material was injection molded to obtain specimens for testing its density, mechanical strength, and friction properties. Mechanical property testing conditions followed ISO 572, ISO 178, and ISO 179; friction testing conditions were: pin-disc mode, load: 35 N, linear velocity: 0.5 m / s, test duration: 2 h. Specific data are shown in Table 1. Comparative Example 1

[0024] A method for preparing a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, the composition of which consists only of pure PEEK resin; PEEK resin is granulated using a twin-screw extruder at 380°C to obtain product plastic granules. The twin-screw extruder's screw structure contains only a backflow block and a conveying block, and the screw speed is 300 r / min.

[0025] The prepared pure PEEK granules were injection molded to obtain specimens for testing their density, mechanical strength, and friction properties. Mechanical property testing conditions followed ISO 572, ISO 178, and ISO 179; friction testing conditions were: pin-disc mode, load: 35 N, linear velocity: 0.5 m / s, test duration: 2 h. Specific data are shown in Table 1.

[0026]

[0027] Table 1. Test data for Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1.

[0028] Comparing the density parameters of the materials in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1, it is clear that the density of the composite material decreases significantly with the increase of hollow glass microsphere content. Simultaneously, compared to pure PEEK material, the mechanical strength of the composite material also decreases with the increase of hollow glass microsphere content. The coefficient of friction increases significantly with the increase of hollow glass microsphere content. These data demonstrate that by adding hollow glass microspheres and adjusting process parameters, not only is the density of the PEEK material reduced, but the wear resistance of the material is also improved.

Claims

1. A method for producing a low-density polyether ether ketone composite material, characterized by, The raw materials include the following components: 85-95% PEEK resin and 5-15% hollow glass microspheres. After the above components are thoroughly mixed, the mixture is kept at 200°C for 0.5-1 hours and then granulated by a twin-screw extruder at 360-390°C to obtain the product plastic granules. The hollow glass microspheres undergo surface treatment before use; the screw structure of the twin-screw extruder does not contain kneading blocks.

2. The production method according to claim 1, characterized by, The granulation temperature is 365~375℃.

3. The production method according to claim 1, characterized by, The screw speed is 130~150 r / min.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface treatment process of hollow glass microspheres is as follows: Take 10%-15% of the mass of hollow glass microspheres of acid anhydride, grind it and mix it thoroughly with the hollow glass microspheres, place it in a forced-air drying oven at 200℃ for 1-2 hours, and then raise the temperature to 220℃ and continue drying for 0.5-1 hour.

5. The production method according to claim 4, characterized by, The acid anhydride is maleic anhydride.

6. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw structure of a twin-screw extruder consists entirely of conveyor blocks.

7. The low-density polyetheretherketone composite material prepared by the preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The composite material has a density of 1.14~1.23 g / cm³ and a friction coefficient of 0.32~0.41.

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