Method for producing small-diameter peek material and use thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of small-diameter PEEK material preparation method and application, it is related to high polymer material technical field, comprising: screening polyether ether ketone yarn as base material;Yarn is implemented twist processing;The yarn after twisting is wound into the spindle of cylindrical structure;The spindle is assembled to the special track of braiding machine;Start braiding machine, carry out bidirectional interlacing movement, make yarn cluster into braided sleeve;While braided sleeve cluster is formed, precise partition heating is applied to braided sleeve in the inside of online thermal-mechanical-shape coupling unit, and axial traction is applied;The braided sleeve after processing is sent into cooling area and is precisely cooled, and finally obtain the small-diameter PEEK material of hollow tubular structure.The application solves the problem of material stress and crystallization by weaving-shaping integrated new architecture, makes product have high crystallinity and high dimensional stability, can precisely fit complex three-dimensional configuration such as Y type bifurcation, improves the long-term reliability of wire harness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of polymer materials technology, specifically to a method for preparing and using small-diameter PEEK materials. Background Technology

[0002] Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) fiber has garnered significant attention due to its superior overall performance. This material boasts an extremely high melting point, typically between 334 and 343 degrees Celsius, and a continuous service temperature reaching up to 250 degrees Celsius. Even in harsh chemical environments, such as prolonged immersion in 90-degree Celsius chemical reagents, PEEK fibers retain over 85% of their strength. In terms of mechanical properties, its tensile strength ranges from 400 to 700 MPa, exhibiting excellent fatigue resistance comparable to alloy materials, especially under alternating stress, while maintaining a relatively light weight. Furthermore, PEEK materials possess excellent flame retardancy due to their high limiting oxygen index, chemical stability, and stable insulation properties. Even under extreme conditions such as high temperature, high pressure, or high humidity, its high-frequency dielectric loss remains low. Based on these characteristics, sleeves and ropes woven from PEEK fibers are widely used in harsh environments such as engine areas for securing, organizing, and bundling the wires and cables of various sensors and actuators.

[0003] However, despite the excellent properties of PEEK material, existing braided tubing manufacturing processes generally suffer from technical bottlenecks. Most current processes employ decoupled workflows, such as braiding followed by heat treatment, or processing the yarn first and then braiding. These decoupled processing methods fundamentally fail to effectively address the coupling problem between the complex internal stress generated during the three-dimensional interweaving of PEEK fibers and the thermal shrinkage stress occurring during heat setting. This technical deficiency is amplified when the tubing needs to cover complex three-dimensional wire harnesses. In subsequent heat setting, the uneven stress release between the inner and outer sides of the tubing creates a sharp technical contradiction between pursuing high crystallinity and maintaining precise dimensional stability. Ultimately, this leads to products prone to wrinkling, deformation, or localized weakness, making it difficult to meet the high-standard protection requirements for complex wire harnesses in harsh environments such as engines. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK materials and its application, thereby solving the problems existing in the background art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material and its application, comprising: a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps:

[0006] Step S1: Select polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material;

[0007] Step S2: Twist the yarn to enhance the cohesion between fibers and prevent fraying during weaving;

[0008] Step S3: The twisted yarn is wound into a cylindrical spindle. The winding process strictly controls the packing density and tension uniformity.

[0009] Step S4: Precisely assemble the spindles into the dedicated track of the weaving machine;

[0010] Step S5: Start the braiding machine to make the spindle units on the special track perform bidirectional interlacing motion, so that the yarn can achieve three-dimensional interlacing and bundled into a braided sleeve;

[0011] Step S6: While the braided sleeve is being bundled and formed, it is immediately passed through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit;

[0012] Step S7: Inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, apply precise zone heating and an axial traction force of 5N to 10N to the braided sleeve to immediately release internal stress, reconstruct the structure, and fully crystallize the material.

[0013] Step S8: The braided sleeve, after being processed by the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, is sent to the cooling zone for precision cooling to lock in high crystallinity and precise three-dimensional configuration, and finally obtain a small-diameter PEEK material with a hollow tubular structure.

[0014] Preferably, in step S1, the polyetheretherketone yarn is a yarn whose monofilament strength and environmental resistance meet aerospace or industrial grade standards.

[0015] Preferably, in step S5, the bidirectional interlacing motion includes: one set of spindle units moving in a clockwise direction and another set of spindle units moving in a counterclockwise direction.

[0016] Preferably, in step S6, the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit integrates a precision heating unit for implementing precise zone heating and an axial tension control unit for applying axial traction force.

[0017] Preferably, in step S7, the temperature for precise zone heating is 160°C to 190°C, which is higher than the glass transition temperature of the PEEK material.

[0018] Preferably, step S7 involves releasing internal stress and reconstructing crystals before the braided sleeve is frozen due to complex three-dimensional interwoven stress.

[0019] A small-diameter PEEK material is also provided, which is prepared using the above-mentioned method for preparing a small-diameter PEEK material.

[0020] Preferably, the application of a small-diameter PEEK material in the fixing, organizing and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] A novel integrated architecture of weaving and shaping is adopted. By introducing online thermal-mechanical-shape coupling shaping process immediately while weaving and bundling, it can force the immediate release, reconstruction and full crystallization of internal stress before the complex three-dimensional interwoven stress is frozen. It can coordinate the management of the three-dimensional stress field and crystal morphology of the material, ensuring the consistency and high controllability of the final product performance.

[0023] Through online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling and subsequent precision cooling and locking, excellent dimensional stability and precise three-dimensional configuration are achieved. Even when used to wrap wire harnesses with complex three-dimensional shapes such as Y-shaped forks or sharp bends, the sleeve can still achieve a tight fit and stable shape, effectively avoiding problems such as poor shape matching or installation difficulties, and ensuring effective bundling and management of complex wire harnesses.

[0024] At the same time, it achieves uniform and high crystallinity, giving the sleeve excellent mechanical properties, fatigue resistance and long-term reliability in harsh environments. When applied to cables in engine areas that are subjected to long-term thermal cycling or high-frequency vibration, the material can maintain a good fit and stable insulation performance, significantly improving the overall service life of the internal wires and cables and their reliability in harsh environments. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] This embodiment provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps: Step S1: Selecting polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material, specifically yarn whose monofilament strength and environmental resistance meet aerospace-grade standards; Step S2: Twisting the yarn to enhance the cohesion between fibers; Step S3: Winding the twisted yarn into a cylindrical spindle, controlling the winding density to 0.3 g / cm³ and the tension uniformity fluctuation to less than 3%; Step S4: Precisely assembling the spindle onto a dedicated track of the braiding machine; Step S5: Starting the braiding machine, causing the spindle units on the dedicated track to perform bidirectional interlacing motion, specifically one set of spindle units moving clockwise and the other set moving counterclockwise, so that the yarn achieves three-dimensional interlacing and bundles into a braided sleeve; Step S6: While the braided sleeve is being bundled and formed, it immediately passes through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit. This unit integrates a precision heating unit for implementing precise zoned heating and an axial tension control unit for applying axial traction force. Step S7: Inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, precise zoned heating at 160°C (a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of PEEK material) and controlled mechanical stretching of 5N are applied. This step releases internal stress and reconstructs crystallization before the complex three-dimensional interwoven stress of the braided sleeve is frozen. Step S8: The braided sleeve, after being processed by the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, is sent to a cooling zone for forced air-cooling precision cooling to lock in high crystallinity and a precise three-dimensional configuration.

[0028] The small-diameter PEEK material obtained by the above preparation method has uniform crystallinity and good dimensional stability. When this material is applied to the fixing, sorting and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area, especially when covering Y-shaped branched wire harnesses, the integrated braiding-shaping structure ensures that the sleeve can fit tightly into the complex three-dimensional structure without wrinkling or deformation, effectively improving the long-term reliability of the wire harness under complex structure.

[0029] Example 2

[0030] This embodiment provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps: Step S1: Selecting polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material, specifically yarn whose monofilament strength and environmental resistance meet industrial-grade standards; Step S2: Twisting the yarn; Step S3: Winding the twisted yarn into a cylindrical spindle; Step S4: Precisely assembling the spindle onto a dedicated track of a braiding machine; Step S5: Starting the braiding machine, causing the spindle units on the dedicated track to perform bidirectional interlacing motion (i.e., one set of spindle units moves clockwise, and the other set moves counterclockwise); Step S6: While the braided sleeve is being bundled and formed, it is immediately passed through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, which integrates a precision heating unit, an axial tension control unit, and a forming mold unit. Step S7: Inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, precise zone heating of 180°C (higher than the glass transition temperature of PEEK material) and controlled mechanical stretching of 8N are applied to release internal stress, reconstruct the structure, and achieve full crystallization of the material before the complex three-dimensional interwoven stress is frozen. Step S8: The processed braided sleeve is sent to a water mist cooling zone for precision cooling.

[0031] The small-diameter PEEK material obtained by the above preparation method has improved surface density and enhanced wear resistance. When this material is applied to the fixing, sorting and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area, the sleeve benefits from the high crystallinity brought about by online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping, and maintains good fit and insulation performance after long-term thermal cycling.

[0032] Example 3

[0033] This embodiment provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps: Step S1: Selecting polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material, which is an aerospace-grade standard yarn; Step S2: Performing a twisting process on the yarn; Step S3: Winding the twisted yarn into a cylindrical spindle; Step S4: Precisely assembling the spindle onto a dedicated track of a braiding machine; Step S5: Starting the braiding machine, causing the spindle units on the dedicated track to perform bidirectional interlacing motion (i.e., one set of spindle units moves clockwise, and the other set of spindle units moves counterclockwise); S6 Simultaneously with the bundling and forming of the braided tubing, it immediately passes through an online thermo-mechanical-form coupling shaping unit, which integrates a precision heating unit, an axial tension control unit, and a forming mold unit; Step S7 Inside the online thermo-mechanical-form coupling shaping unit, precise zone heating at 170°C (above the PEEK glass transition temperature) and controlled mechanical stretching of 6N are applied to release internal stress and reconstruct crystallization before the stress is frozen; Step S8 The processed braided tubing is sent into an inert gas (nitrogen) cooling zone for precision cooling;

[0034] The small-diameter PEEK material obtained by the above preparation method has more complete material crystallization and improved fatigue resistance. When this material is applied to the fixing, sorting and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area, especially when used to fix actuator cables subjected to high-frequency vibration, the combination of the precise three-dimensional configuration of the sleeve and the fatigue resistance characteristics of the material helps to extend the overall service life of the cable bundle.

[0035] Example 4

[0036] This embodiment provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps: Step S1: Selecting polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material, which is an industrial-grade standard yarn; Step S2: Twisting the yarn; Step S3: Winding the twisted yarn into a cylindrical spindle; Step S4: Precisely assembling the spindle onto a dedicated track of a braiding machine; Step S5: Starting the braiding machine, causing the spindle units on the dedicated track to perform bidirectional interlacing motion (i.e., one set of spindle units moves clockwise, and the other set moves counterclockwise); Step S6: Weaving... While the sleeve is being bundled and formed, it immediately passes through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, which integrates a precision heating unit, an axial tension control unit, and a forming mold unit. In step S7, precise zoned heating of 190°C (above the glass transition temperature of PEEK) and controlled mechanical stretching of 10N are applied inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit to release internal stress, reconstruct, and fully crystallize the material before the complex three-dimensional interwoven stress is frozen. In step S8, the processed braided sleeve is sent into a zoned temperature-controlled cooling zone for precision cooling.

[0037] The small-diameter PEEK material obtained by the above preparation method has high dimensional locking accuracy and low dielectric loss. When this material is applied to the fixing, sorting and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area, when it is used to cover high-frequency sensor wire harnesses and pass through a sharp bend, the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit ensures that the three-dimensional shape of the sleeve remains stable and exhibits stable insulation performance in a high-frequency environment.

[0038] Example 5

[0039] This embodiment provides a method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, including the following steps: Step S1: Select polyetheretherketone yarn as the base material, which is an aerospace-grade standard yarn; Step S2: Perform twisting processing on the yarn; Step S3: Wind the twisted yarn into a cylindrical spindle structure; Step S4: Precisely assemble the spindle onto a dedicated track of the braiding machine; Step S5: Start the braiding machine, causing the spindle units on the dedicated track to perform bidirectional interlacing motion (i.e., one set of spindle units runs clockwise, and the other set of spindle units runs counterclockwise); Step S6: While the braided sleeve is being bundled and formed, it is immediately passed through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, which integrates a precision heating unit, an axial tension control unit, and a forming mold unit; Step S7: Inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, precise zone heating of 175°C (higher than the glass transition temperature of PEEK) and controlled mechanical stretching of 7N are applied to immediately release internal stress, reconstruct the structure, and achieve full crystallization of the material; Step S8: Send the processed braided sleeve into a contact cooling mold for precision cooling;

[0040] The small-diameter PEEK material obtained by the above preparation method has its high crystallinity and precise three-dimensional structure locked simultaneously. When this material is applied to the fixing, organizing and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area, and used to organize multi-strand wire harnesses to converge into a narrow connector back shell, the precise three-dimensional structure of the sleeve helps to achieve effective management of the wire harness and save space, avoiding the installation difficulties caused by the failure of fitting accuracy in the prior art.

[0041] Comparative Example 1

[0042] Comparative Example 1 employs a decoupled process (braiding followed by heat treatment) using existing technology. It uses the same aerospace-grade PEEK yarn as Example 1 and performs steps S1 to S5 similar to those in Example 1 to prepare the braided sleeve. However, this process does not include the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling setting unit in step S6, nor the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling treatment in step S7, nor the precision cooling in step S8. Instead, after braiding, the relaxed sleeve (without controlled mechanical stretching) is placed in an oven for offline heat setting. The material prepared in Comparative Example 1 is applied to cover the Y-shaped bifurcated wire harness in Example 1. During the heat setting process, due to the inability to resolve the complex coupling problem between the three-dimensional interlacing stress and thermal shrinkage stress of PEEK, the stress release on the inner and outer sides of the sleeve is uneven, resulting in significant wrinkling (dimensional stability failure) at the Y-shaped bifurcation point. Furthermore, the uneven crystallinity in this area leads to fragile mechanical properties in that region.

[0043] Comparative Example 2

[0044] Comparative Example 2 employs a different decoupled process from existing technology (pre-processing the yarn, then weaving); it uses the same industrial-grade PEEK yarn as Example 2; after performing the twisting process in step S2, the yarn undergoes a pre-setting treatment before proceeding with steps S3 to S5 for weaving; this process also does not include the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling setting and cooling in steps S6 to S8; the material prepared in Comparative Example 2 is applied to cover the sharply curved wire harness in Example 4; although the yarn has been pre-shaped, the stress between the yarns remains complex and uneven during the three-dimensional weaving process; when covering the sharp bend, the fitting accuracy of the sleeve is insufficient, making it impossible to form a precise T-shaped three-dimensional configuration; this leads to a technical contradiction between dimensional stability and the high crystallinity of the material, resulting in gaps between the sleeve and the wire harness, reducing the effectiveness of binding and protection.

[0045] Effect Comparison

[0046] To further verify the technical advantages of the new integrated braiding-setting architecture of the present invention compared with the decoupled process of the prior art, the performance of small-diameter PEEK materials prepared in Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-2 was tested. The key performance indicators of these materials when covering complex three-dimensional wire harnesses (Y-shaped bifurcation and sharp bends) were examined: bonding accuracy (subjective evaluation, 5 points, 5 points for excellent, 1 point for poor), dimensional stability (deformation measured after thermal cycling, 5 points), and material crystallization uniformity (DSC test, 5 points).

[0047] Table 1: Performance Comparison Table of Examples and Comparative Examples

[0048]

[0049] The results in Table 1 clearly show that:

[0050] The online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping process used in embodiments 1-5 of this invention can instantly manage and reconstruct the three-dimensional stress field and crystal morphology of PEEK at the moment of weaving and forming.

[0051] Therefore, the products of Examples 1-5 exhibit good bonding accuracy and dimensional stability when facing complex three-dimensional structures such as Y-shaped bifurcations and sharp bends, and the material crystallization uniformity is high.

[0052] In contrast, the existing decoupled process used in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 cannot solve the coupling problem between three-dimensional interwoven stress and thermal shrinkage stress, resulting in a sharp technical contradiction between dimensional stability and high material crystallinity; their products have poor bonding accuracy and dimensional stability under complex configurations, and cannot meet the high standard application requirements in harsh environments such as engine areas.

[0053] In summary, this invention fundamentally solves the defects of existing technologies by constructing a new integrated braiding-setting architecture, and the prepared small-diameter PEEK material and its applications represent significant technological advancements.

[0054] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention in any other way. Any person skilled in the art may make changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments that can be applied to other fields. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: Select polyetheretherketone (PEEK) yarn as the base material; Step S2: Twist the yarn to enhance the cohesion between fibers and prevent fraying during weaving; Step S3: The twisted yarn is wound into a cylindrical spindle. The winding process strictly controls the packing density and tension uniformity. Step S4: Precisely assemble the spindles into the dedicated track of the weaving machine; Step S5: Start the braiding machine to make the spindle units on the special track perform bidirectional interlacing motion, so that the yarn can achieve three-dimensional interlacing and bundled into a braided sleeve; Step S6: While the braided sleeve is being bundled and formed, it is immediately passed through an online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit; Step S7: Inside the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, apply precise zone heating and an axial traction force of 5N to 10N to the braided sleeve to immediately release internal stress, reconstruct the structure, and fully crystallize the material. Step S8: The braided sleeve, after being processed by the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit, is sent to the cooling zone for precision cooling to lock in high crystallinity and precise three-dimensional configuration, and finally obtain a small-diameter PEEK material with a hollow tubular structure. In step S7, the temperature for precise zone heating is 160°C to 190°C, which is higher than the glass transition temperature of PEEK material; In step S6, the online thermo-mechanical-shape coupling shaping unit integrates a precision heating unit for implementing precise zone heating and an axial tension control unit for applying axial traction force; Step S7 completes the internal stress release and crystallization reconstruction before the braided sleeve is frozen by the complex three-dimensional interwoven stress.

2. The method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the polyetheretherketone yarn is a yarn whose monofilament strength and environmental resistance meet aerospace or industrial grade standards.

3. The method for preparing small-diameter PEEK material according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, the bidirectional interlacing motion includes: one set of spindle units moving in a clockwise direction and another set of spindle units moving in a counterclockwise direction.

4. The application of small-diameter PEEK material prepared by the method of any one of claims 1-3 in the fixing, sorting and bundling of wires and cables in the engine area.

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