The Influence of Annealing on the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of FDM ‐Printed Carbon‐Fiber‐Reinforced Polyetheretherketone

ABSTRACT Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is an excellent material for human implants. The addition of carbon fibers (CFs) can further enhance the composite's mechanical properties. In this study, fused deposition modeling (FDM)‐printed CF/PEEK laminated specimens were heat‐treated. The effects of different heat‐treatment temperatures on the tensile, bending, and interlayer shear (ILSS) properties of FDM specimens were investigated. Meanwhile, friction and wear tests were conducted on PEEK and CF/PEEK materials before and after heat treatment, and the mechanism of the effect of heat treatment on their tribological properties was analyzed. It was found that higher heat‐treatment temperatures can effectively improve the crystallinity of the specimens, thereby significantly enhancing their mechanical properties and wear resistance. Observations of the surface morphology of the specimens revealed that as the heat treatment temperature increased, the depth of the wear pits decreased, and the frictional behavior of the surface material was optimized. Based on this, the friction and wear mechanism was discussed in this study, providing a process reference for subsequent related experiments and scientific research.