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The influence of microstructure on the failure behaviour of PEEK

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Abstract

In this study, different molecular weight PEEK materials were used to determine the effect of spherulite size on fracture. Melt processing of the PEEK at different temperatures produced samples of different average spherulite size. A permanganic etching technique was used to reveal the spherulites. It was found that for low molecular weight 150P PEEK, the spherulite size increased with melt processing temperature; but, for the higher molecular weight 450G PEEK, the spherulite size remained approximately constant. Also, the average spherulite size was markedly lower for the material of higher molecular weight. The failure behaviour of these samples was studied using a compact tension test. It was found that the fracture toughness of PEEK varied with processing temperature. Also, the average spherulite size of this material had a profound influence on the fracture mechanism.

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Author notes

  1. Jia -Ni Chu

    Present address: Fibrous Materials Research Center and Department of Materials Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Science Program and Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA

    Jia -Ni Chu & Jerold M. Schultz

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  1. Jia -Ni Chu
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  2. Jerold M. Schultz
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Chu, J.N., Schultz, J.M. The influence of microstructure on the failure behaviour of PEEK. J Mater Sci 25, 3746–3752 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00575414

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