Crystallization and fiber/matrix interaction during the molding of PEEK/carbon composites

Abstract The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of molding conditions (molding temperature, residence time at melt temperature, and cooling rate) on the crystallization behavior and the fiber/matrix interaction in PEEK/carbon composites made from both prepreg and commingled forms. In order to investigate the crystallization behavior of the PEEK matrix, the molding process was simulated by differential scanning calorimetric analysis, DSC. The results show that the prepreg and commingled systems do not have the same matrix morphology; prepreg tape was found to be at its maximum of crystallinity, whereas the commingled system was found to be only partially crystalline. The results show that processing must be carried out at a temperature sufficiently high to destroy the previous thermal history of the PEEK matrix; this is an essential requirement to produce efficient fiber/matrix adhesion in the commingled fabric system. Optical microscopic observations also suggest that matrix morphology near the fibers is dependent on the melting conditions; a well‐defined transcrystalline structure at the interface is observed only when the melt temperature is sufficiently high. However, the high temperature of molding can easily result in degradation of the PEEK matrix such as chain scission and crosslinking reactions. Thermal degradation of the matrix during processing is found to affect the crystallization behavior of the composites, the fiber/matrix adhesion, and the matrix properties. This effect is more important in the case of a commingled system containing sized carbon fibers because the sizing agent decomposes in the molding temperature range of PEEK/carbon composites. This produces a decrease of the matrix crystallinity and an elimination of the nucleating ability of the carbon fibers. A transition between cohesive and adhesive fracture is observed when the cooling rate increases from 30°C/min to 71°C/min for the composite made from the commingled fabric. This critical cooling rate is found to closely correspond to a change in the mechanism of crystallization of the PEEK matrix.