Optimizing bonding performance in CF/PEKK composites: The role of IR heating and press consolidation

Bonding performance of carbon fiber/polyetherketoneketone (CF/PEKK) laminates is closely related to crystallinity and is influenced by growth, formation, and density of spherulites. Press consolidation, with its ability to adjust pressure, exhibits superior quality compared to oven consolidation. However, bonding and production of CF/PEKK laminates using Press consolidation exhibit significant variations in quality depending on forming conditions. While research on producing CF/PEKK laminates using press consolidation is currently active, there is a lack of studies on co-consolidation for CF/PEKK laminates. Thus, in this study, establishment of forming process variables for press consolidation was conducted to achieve excellent bonding performance for CF/PEKK. Furthermore, IR heating-assisted surface heat treatment was employed to enhance bonding performance of CF/PEKK laminates by controlling crystallinity and spherulites. To analyze bonding performance, short bean shear testing was conducted to obtain interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). Results showed that surface modification through IR heating led to an increase in crystallinity and a noticeable growth in size of spherulites. In specific conditions, improved bonding performance was observed. This is judged to be primarily due to increase in spherulite size and crystallinity at bonding interface, attributed to specific conditions of both surface treatment through IR heating and Press consolidation.