Isfahan Scientists Develop PEEK-based Nanocomposite Powder for Aerospace Industry

Researchers at Isfahan University of Technology have developed a poly (ether ether ketone) /silica polymeric nanocomposite in powder form by mechanical alloying for aerospace industry applications. They claimed PEEK as advanced engineering polymer with excellent chemical resistance and high favorable erosive and frictional behavior. Scientists revealed that the main objective of this project was to develop a method for the synthesis of polymeric base nanocomposites so that the product is prepared in powder form.

However, extremely low solubility in common solvents and high melting temperature (about 340° C) created problems for them to use common methods which, lead to the discovery of new procedure. Reinforcing nanoparticles were distributed and dispersed into the polymeric matrix by means of solid state processing and high energy ball milling (for 15 hours).

One of the research team members, Mehdi Hedayati concluded that molecular destruction won't evolve in the polymeric structure if the process parameters are adjusted. Also, an appropriate distribution and dispersion of nanoparticles in polymeric matrix is achieved by modification of surface chemical behavior of silica nanoparticles. Hedayati further said that they held good negotiations with Iran airplane manufacturing industries (HESA) and a contract with the novel industries department of the Ministry of Industries and Mines which, is in the final stages of endorsement.