Effectively improving the performance of MWNT/PEEK composite by choosing PAK-Cz as the solubilizer

Abstract

Improvement of the interfacial compatibility between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a polymer matrix is a key problem in the preparation of high-performance CNTs/polymer composites, such as the CNT/poly(ether-ether ketone) (PEEK) composite. Because it contains large conjugated carbazole side chains, PAK-Cz has been shown to have an outstanding dispersive capacity for multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs; 608 mg L−1 in N-methyl pyrrolidone, which is far better than other commonly used poly(aryl ether) solubilizers). Therefore, in this work, PAK-Cz was used for the first time in MWNT/PEEK composites as a solubilizer. A series of MWNT/PEEK composites with the PAK-Cz solubilizer were prepared by simple physical blending. As expected, all of these composites exhibited better performance characteristics, such as mechanical properties, tensile strength, flexural strength and simultaneous toughening effect, than the pure PEEK material and the MWNT/PEEK (without any solubilizer) composites.