Surface Plasticization of Poly(ether ether ketone)

This paper describes a study of the surface plasticization and antiplasticization of an amorphous and a semicrystalline poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) in solvent environments using nanohardness method. A range of solvents (octane, chloroform, tetrachloroethane, acetone, dichlorobenzene, polyethyleneglycol (PEG), methanol and water) based on the Hilderbrand’s Solubility Parameter were selected as solvent environments. The results of the nanoindentation hardness experiments performed on the virgin and the solvent immersed polymeric surfaces are reported. The surface plasticization or antiplasticization is reported on the basis of the softening or the hardening of the near surface layers (?1 μm) after immersion of the polymeric surfaces in the solvent environments. Surface plasticization of the amorphous PEEK has been observed in organic solvents. The chlorine containing solvents have severely degraded the hardness of the amorphous polymer. A surface hardening of the amorphous PEEK has been observed after immersion in water. Semicrystalline PEEK was seen to exhibit a considerable inert behaviour to common organic solvents but chlorinated organic solvents and water have caused a decrease in the surface mechanical properties.