Environmental Effect on the Water Absorption and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced PPS and PEEK Composites

Abstract

Research has been conducted to investigate the water absorption in carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone (PEEK/C.F.) and polyphenylene sulfide compos ites (PPS/C.F.). Effect of humidity and temperature on tensile, flexural and impact strength of these composites was also studied. Results indicated that the waters absorbed in PPS/C. F. and PEEK/C. F. are 0.059 wt% and 0.138 wt% respectively. The diffusion process is a classical Fickian diffusion in the temperature region investigated. The activation energies of diffusion are 667 cal/g-mole (for PPS/C.F.) and 8934 cal/g-mole (for PEEK/C.F.). The retention of mechanical properties of these composites is very good under hot-wet condition. These composites materials can be served as high performance materials even in the hostile environment. PEEK/C.F. composites show excellent mechanical properties retention even at 80°C and 75% R.H.