Laminates of polyether ketones and carbon fibers
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorsPhilip A. Staniland, Roger M. Turner, Frederick N. Cogswell
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Abstract
A new polymer composition comprises an aromatic polyetherketone or mixture thereof containing the repeating units --O--Ph--O--Ph--CO--Ph-- I and --O--Ph--Ph--O--Ph--CO--Ph-- II (where Ph is phenylene) in the relative molar proportions I:II of 95:5 to 60:40 and 5-80% w/w of a fibrous reinforcing agent. It is suitable for producing shaped articles of high damage tolerance by hot fabrication followed by slow cooling.
Claims6
A multiply quasi-isotropic laminate which has been formed under pressure and elevated temperature and then cooled, at a rate equal to or less than 5.degree. C., per minute said laminate comprising a component (a) which is a polyetherketone or mixture of polyetherketones and a component (b) which is carbon fibre, said laminate having a residual compression strength of at least 290 MN/m.sup.2 after being subjected to an impact of 4.5 J/mm, or of at least 220 MN/m.sup.2 after being subjected to an impact of 8.9 J/mm, or both, said polyether ketone or polyether ketones consisting essentially of repeating units
- --O--PH--OPh--CO--Ph-- I
- and
- --O--Ph--Ph--O--Ph--CO--Ph-- II
- with components I and II being present in the relative molar proportions of 95:5 to 60:40 and the laminate contains 5 to 80% by weight, calculated on the total of (a) and (b), of the reinforcing agent (b), the laminate being characterized by improved damage tolerance on slow cooling when compared with a corresponding laminate wherein the polyketone contains only units I.
In a multi-ply quasi-isotropic laminate comprising a component (a) which is a polyetherketone or mixture of polyetherketones, and a component (b) which is a carbon fibre reinforcing agent wherein the laminate is formed by heat fabrication followed by slow cooling at a rate equal to or less than 5.degree. C. per minute, the damage resistance of said laminate being affected by slow cooling after said heat fabrication, the improvement which comprises using as component (a), a polyetherketone or mixture thereof consisting essentially of the repeating units
- --O--Ph--OPh--CO--PH-- I
- and
- --O--Ph--Ph--O--Ph--CO--Ph-- II
- wherein components I and II are present in the relative molar proportions I:II of 95:5 to 60:40 and said laminate contains 5 to 80% by weight, calculated on the total of (a) and (b), of the reinforcing agent, whereby said damage resistance is improved such that upon cooling after heat fabrication at a rate equal to or less than 5.degree. C. min.sup.-1, the laminate exhibits a residual compression of at least 290 MNm.sup.-2 after being subjected to an impact of 4.5 J mm.sup.-1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.