STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF MOLECULAR COMPOSITES OF POLYP-PHENYLENE-TEREPHTHALAMIDEI POLY-ETHER-ETHER-KETONE IPPTA!PEEKI

Abstract

Molecular composites have been classified as the third generation of Polymers. The concept of Molecular Composite was .first presented by Dr. T.E.Helminiak of USAF-WPAFB. Molecular composite is defined as a miscible blend of a rigid rod macromolecule and a flexible polymer, in which the flexible polymer is molecularly reinforced by the rigid rod macromo lecule. In this project, the molecular composites of Poly-p-Phenylene-Terephthalamide/Poly-Ether- Ether-Kctone [PPTA/PEEK] have been processed by solution blending the components in Ab sulphuric acid, and then co-precipitating the blend in water. The glass transition temperatures of PEEK and the molecular composites have been recorded as PPTA does not show any glass transition temperature. The miscibility in PPTA/PEEK molecular composites has been established by observing that the molecular composite shows higher glass transition temperature as compared to the component flexible PEEK polymer and the glass transition temperature of the molecular composite increases with increasing amounts of PPTA in PPTA/PEEK molecular composites. The specific interactions imparting miscibility have been recorded by Fourier Transform Spectroscopy and the role of similar solubility parameters in imparting miscibility has also been recorded. Thermal degradation in PEEK and PPTA/PEEK molecular composites has been studied by TGA curves.