High-Performance PEEK/MWCNT Nanocomposites: Combining Enhanced Electrical Conductivity and Nanotube Dispersion

High-performance engineering thermoplastics offer lightweight and excellent mechanical performance in a wide temperature range. Their composites with carbon nanotubes are expected to enhance mechanical performance, while providing thermal and electrical conductivity. These are interesting attributes that may endow additional functionalities to the nanocomposites. The present work investigates the optimal conditions to prepare polyether ether ketone (PEEK)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites, minimizing the MWCNT agglomerate size while maximizing the nanocomposite electrical conductivity. The aim is to achieve PEEK/MWCNT nanocomposites that are suitable for melt-spinning of electrically conductive multifilament's. Nanocomposites were prepared with compositions ranging from 0.5 to 7 wt.% MWCNT, showing an electrical percolation threshold between 1 and 2 wt.% MWCNT (107-102 S/cm) and a rheological percolation in the same range (1 to 2 wt.% MWCNT), confirming the formation of an MWCNT network in the nanocomposite. Considering the large drop in electrical conductivity typically observed during melt-spinning and the drawing of filaments, the composition PEEK/5 wt.% MWCNT was selected for further investigation. The effect of the melt extrusion parameters, namely screw speed, temperature, and throughput, was studied by evaluating the morphology of MWCNT agglomerates, the nanocomposite rheology, and electrical properties. It was observed that the combination of the higher values of screw speed and temperature profile leads to the smaller number of MWCNT agglomerates with smaller size, albeit at a slightly lower electrical conductivity. Generally, all processing conditions tested yielded nanocomposites with electrical conductivity in the range of 0.50-0.85 S/cm. The nanocomposite processed at higher temperature and screw speed presented the lowest value of elastic modulus, perhaps owing to higher matrix degradation and lower connectivity between the agglomerates. From all the process parameters studied, the screw speed was identified to have the higher impact on nanocomposite properties.