Novel graphitic carbon coated IF-WS2 reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) nanocomposites. Issue 56 (13th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Nannan; Yang, Zhuxian; Thummavichai, Kunyapat; Xu, Fang; Hu, Chenxi; Chen, Hongmei; Xia, Yongde; Zhu, Yanqiu
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 7:Issue 56(2017)
• Page Start: 35265
• Page End: 35273
• Publication Date: 2017-07-13
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c7ra06205b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : Unique high performance thermoplastic PEEK ternary nanocomposites reinforced by nano graphitic carbon coated IF (inorganic fullerene-like)-WS2 have been prepared and their structures have been characterised by XRD, EDX and HR-TEM. Abstract : Unique high performance thermoplastic PEEK ternary nanocomposites reinforced by nano graphitic carbon coated IF-WS2 (inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulphide) have been prepared and their structures have been characterised by electron microscopy imaging, electron dispersive spectrum elemental and X-ray diffraction scanning. The IF-WS2 @C–PEEK composites exhibit impressive improvements in both their mechanical and thermal properties, with an extraordinary 54% enhancement in the ultimate tensile strength at 2 wt% and a nearly 235% increase in thermal conductivity at 8 wt%. In addition, they also show an increase in decomposition temperature (over 50 °C) with higher IF-WS2 @C contents. Further investigation reveals the activation energies estimated by the Kissinger method to be 61 and 97 kJ mol −1 for neat PEEK and IF-WS2 @C–PEEK, respectively. This is ascribed to the enhanced dispersion ability and better interface bonding between the PEEK matrix and IF-WS2 @C nanoparticles, which for the first time has been investigated by FTIR and XPS analysis. These significantly improved properties will no doubt expand the applications of the PEEK-based nanocomposites.